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SMARL is Underway, See Results, Photos of First Race of 2014 Sugar Mountain Adult Race League

By Jesse Wood

Jan. 14, 2014. Sugar Mountain Resort’s Big Red slope hosted the first race of the 2014 season of the Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) this Monday. 

“[The conditions] were great,” organizer Bill Leonard, owner of Ski Country Sports, one of the primary sponsors of the league, said, adding that course had good coverage and held up “really well.” 

He added that more than 90 of the 100 registered races participated during the first week of competition, which was postponed because of the subzero temperatures that were prevalent during the first week of January. 

Leonard praised Sugar Mountain Resort for the “great job” that it does in accommodating the racers, setting up the course and timing the competition. 

“Well, you know they do a great job. All we have to do is show up and it’s ready,” Leonard said, adding that when Sugar Mountain Resorts says its going to do something at 6:30 p.m., it’s going to happen and be ready to go at 6:30 p.m.

Held on Monday nights in January and February, the race league, which is limited to 100 participants, features friendly competition, sort of an after work beer league for locals where competitors meet for food and drinks after the races, and it’s become so popular that the league sells out before winter begins – even without any promotion whatsoever.

The teams are as follows: Team Sugar, Ski Country A, Ski Country D, Banner Elk Café, The Lodge, Modern Rustic, Edge of the World, Bellas, Ski Patrol, First Tracks, Sugar Ski School. Flatlanders and The Good Ole Boys. 

Check out photos of Week 1 of SMARL and the race results below: 

Mark Russ aka Mr. Moustache competes each week in SMARL. Photos by Ken Ketchie
Mark Russ aka Mr. Moustache competes each week in SMARL. He is among the very photogenic racers of the beer league. Photos by Ken Ketchie

 

The first race of the 2014 SMARL season.
Get set. Ready. Go! The first race of the 2014 SMARL season happened Monday.

 

The first race of 2014 SMARL.
The 2014 SMARL season is underway.

 

Team Sugar
Team Sugar

 

Ski Country Sports
Ski Country Sports

 

Banner Elk Cafe and The Lodge
Banner Elk Cafe and The Lodge

 

Modern Rustic
Modern Rustic

 

Edge of the World
Edge of the World

 

Bellas
Bellas

 

Ski Patrol
Ski Patrol

 

First Tracks
First Tracks

 

Sugar Ski School
Sugar Ski School

 

The Flatlanders
The Flatlanders

 

The Good Ole Boys
The Good Ole Boys

CLICK TO ENLARGE RESULTS BELOW

week1