<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
<!--StartFragment--> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">Dear Stowe Derby enthusiast,<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""> <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">One short week before the big day …and this quick email to bring you up to speed with the famous downhill cross-country ski race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""> <o:p></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b>February 22<sup>nd</sup> is NEXT SUNDAY – Stowe Derby day</b></span><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">If you have not signed up, better act very soon!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><i>If you are signed up, sorry…<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande""><a href="http://www.stowederby.com">www.stowederby.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><i>This is the fastest and easiest way to register for the race.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b>After February 17<sup>th</sup>, the prices go up by $10 per entry</b></span><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b>Act today!!!<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b>Ultimate deadline is Saturday, Feb 21<sup>st</sup>, noon.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">NO ENTRIES the day of the race!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""> <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b>THE FORECAST<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">Excellent for the upcoming week!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mid 20s, with snow projected on Wednesday and Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This nice fresh blanket of snow will be most welcome to soften things up on the course and make everything look good!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The timing is also perfect and will allow the groomers plenty of time to fine tune things and provide the best skiing conditions possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""> <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b>THE COURSE<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">Magnificent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The “Northern X-Press” all girls’ team invited me to join their training yesterday ;))) and we skied the Derby trail down to the Shed Restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were pleasantly surprised and now happy to report that the trail is in <b>excellent condition</b></span><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The grooming professionals from Trapps, Nordic Barn and the Stowe Mountain Resort Touring Center are already working hard at widening, reshaping, and making sure the trail will be at its best for Sunday, Feb 22<sup>nd</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In case you are wondering, the bridge is still down, so by popular demand, the course will be the same as last year (19km).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No promises about finishing behind the church as of today, but with Mother Nature on our side we will get there, or very close anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""> <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b>TEAMS!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">Deadline for signing up a TEAM is <b>TUESDAY, FEB 17<sup>TH</sup> – This WEEK!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">You may not have realized this but after all team four members have signed up individually, you <b>ALSO </b></span><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">need to download this form <b><a href="http://teammmsc.org/stowederby/sdteamsignup.pdf">http://teammmsc.org/stowederby/sdteamsignup.pdf</a> </b></span><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">to make your team official.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There is no way for us to tell from your online registration on Ski Reg if you are part of the OR team Challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""> <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">Return the form to MMSC, 403 Spruce Peak, Stowe, VT 05672, <b>with $20</b></span><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You can fax it at <b>802-253-9657</b></span><span style="font-family: "Lucida Grande""> and include a credit card number (Visa or MC) or a copy of your check if that helps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A dozen teams are already signed up, this will be FUN! Feel free to request to ski together if you wish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><b>ACT NOW!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b>MEISTER RACE IS ALMOST FULL<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">This race is for expert skiers only and will be full this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Waste no time if that was part of your plan for 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Get signed up today!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Race is limited to first 50 entrants.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""> <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b>COME WITH FRIENDS<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">Invite some friends and introduce them to the Stowe Derby!<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">With a good forecast and excellent trail conditions expected for next Sunday, we are anticipating huge crowds and high enthusiasm for the 64<sup>th</sup> running of the infamous Stowe Derby!<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">We hope to see you at 8 am at the Stowe High School for bib pick up. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""> <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"">Questions:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><b><a href="mailto:stowederby@teammmsc.org">stowederby@teammmsc.org</a><o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande""><b>T</b></span><span style="font-family:TrebuchetMS">he 2009 Stowe Derby is brought to you by: Concept 2, URMC, Fit Werx, Mansfield Orthopaedics, PAR Springer-Miller, Stowe Mountain Resort, Darn Tough, OR Outdoor Research, Union Bank, The Stowe Reporter, Rossignol, Nordica, Smart Water, XPress, Uvex, Holmenkol, Ski Pix, Marker, The Rusty Nail, Turtle Fur, Madhouse Munchies, Cabot, Smart Water, Elmore Mountain Farm, Vermont Sports and One Way.</span></p></body></html>