S T E A M B O AT
TODAY
THURSDAY
JULY 2, 2009
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
FREE
®
Vol. 21, No. 157
RO U T T
C O U N T Y ’ S
DA I LY
N E W S PA P E R
S T E A M B O AT S P R I N G S
Safety improves Railroad crossing near Fish Creek Mobile Home Park to get lights and gates Page 2
S T E A M B O AT S P R I N G S
Camping areas full Early reservations and high demand flood state parks for holiday weekend Page 6
SPORTS
JOHN F. RUSSELL/STAFF
Ski jumper Hyrum Bailey soars off Howelsen Hill’s plastic-covered K-68 jump Wednesday morning during a competition, which included several members of the U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team. The jumpers and Nordic combined skiers will be back on the hill at 9 a.m. Friday for a special holiday competition.
Olympic trials return Freestyle, Nordic combined qualifiers coming in December Luke Graham
PILOT & TODAY STAFF
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
Sailors to tee off Page 23
■ INDEX Briefs . . . . . . . . .10 Business. . . . . . .22 Classifieds . . . . .31 Colorado. . . . . . .16 Comics . . . . . . . .29 Crossword . . . . .29
The 2010 Winter Olympics are in Vancouver, British Columbia, but for some American athletes, the path to the games will go through Steamboat Springs. Andy Wirth, senior vice president of marketing for Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp., confirmed Wednesday that Steamboat Springs will
■ LOTTO Happenings . . . . .7 Horoscope . . . . .30 Nation. . . . . . . . .17 Sports. . . . . . . . .23 ViewPoints . . . . . .8 World . . . . . . . . .18
Wednesday night’s Powerball numbers: 9-32-38-52-53 15, 2 Lotto numbers: 19-22-24-28-30-39 Cash 5 numbers: 7-15-20-26-32
host the Olympic Qualifiers for the U.S. Freestyle and Nordic Combined ski teams. The qualifiers, preliminarily scheduled for Dec. 22 and 23, will bring some of the country’s elite skiers to Northwest Colorado for two days of competition. On the line will be U.S. Olympic team spots for men’s and women’s moguls and aerials, and men’s Nordic combined. The event also will bring welcome exposure to Steamboat Springs. Wirth said NBC will
■ WEATHER
Afternoon and evening storm. High of 75.
Page 39
bring its Olympic television production crew to Steamboat for the qualifiers, which will be televised in high definition as part of a 90-minute special sometime between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Wirth estimated the potential TV audience at between 1.5 million and 3 million viewers. “Our company is bearing most of the cost,” Wirth said. “We look at this as part of the company’s contribution and part of our marketing. It’s who
we are as a brand and company. Of course, it’s who we are as a community.” Wirth said Ski Corp. also will be looking to the city and other individuals and organizations for funding and volunteer assistance. While some of the logistics are yet to be finalized, Wirth said the qualifiers likely will take place Dec. 22 and 23. There is the potential, however, for all See Ski trials, page 12
■ THERE’S MORE ONLINE For around-the-clock updates, breaking local news and sports scores, videos, photos and an interactive community forum, visit www.steamboatpilot.com.