Selection committee chairman Bob Flynn has released the names of the Maine Ski Hall of Fame Class of 2016.

Eight new members were elected by the committee at their January meeting. The new members will be inducted at the annual banquet at Sunday River on Oct. 29. This year’s class includes a 4-time national cross country champion, a world-class biathlete, a ski area builder, a top jumper and jumping official, a champion freestyler and film maker, a ski promoter and Pro Tour operator, and a pair of executives who have been instrumental in building the sport in Maine.

The Maine Ski Hall of Fame, a division of the Ski Museum of Maine, was formed in 2003 with a mission of recognizing Maine skiers who have either through competition, coaching, instruction, building ski areas and the sport in general have brought distinction to Maine skiing.

These are skiers who have made skiing a way of life in Maine and here is a brief look their achievements and contributions.

Nancy Fiddler had never skied until she entered Bates College in Lewiston, but she made up for lost time in a hurry as a cross country skier for the ski team, where she earned All America honors. She skied her way onto the U.S. Ski Team, skiing World Cup for seven years and winning 14 national titles. Fiddler skied in the Olympics in 1988 and 1992, and has continued in competition winning the 18-mile Great Race from Tahoe to Truckee six times. The Bates grad is still involved coaching at the junior- and high-school levels.

Walt Shepard’s discipline calls for combining athletic skills with marksmanship. As a member of the U.S. National Biathlon team Walt collected 32 medals in National and International competition and skied on three world championship teams. While his medal total is impressive even more important was his role in bringing his sport to Maine. When he started at age nine he had to travel to Vermont to train at the only biathlon center in New England. His success inspired the building of the biathlon centers in Fort Kent and Presque Isle making Maine a centerpiece for biathlon.

Dan Warner came out of Rumford as a ski jumper, cross country racer and alpine skier and has devoted much of his life to ski jumping both at his home Chisholm Ski Club and as an official at the highest levels from Lake placid to Norway, Finland and Japan. He was a member of the junior Chisholm Ski Team and at Rumford High School was a leading member of teams that won both State and New England titles. Warner also skied on Eastern Junior Teams and was a Master Jumper. His officiating credits include everything from high school to World Cups in both XC and Jumping.

Andy Shepard has been involved in skiing and outdoor recreation for all of his adult life. His major contribution was the Maine Winter Sports Center which revitalized Black Mountain in Rumford and Big Rock in Mars Hill and created the Biathlon Centers in Fort Kent and Presque Isle resulting in Maine hosting World Cup Championships in that sport. He also created the Healthy Hometowns Ski Programs to get more kids into XC by providing free equipment.

Geoff Stump came out of the same Pleasant Mountain freestyle program that spawned his more famous brother Greg skiing for six years in the U. S. National freestyle team. In 1981,  Stump won the national Aerial Title and in 186, the North American Freestyle Combined Championship. As a Freestyle coach he has mentored a long list of competitors at the Olympic and world Cup levels. He skied in his brother’s ski films and assisted in their production. Today he coaches freestyle at Vail and makes his own ski films with his own film company.

Greg Sweetser has done it all in skiing, ski patrol, PSIA certified ski instructor, ski school technical director and patrol director. At Saddleback Greg moved from working on the hill to the position of Marketing Director and in 1996 returned to his home town of Cumberland taking over the position of Executive Director of the Ski Maine Association. While his position required him to represent Maine’s ski industry in marketing the ski areas and resorts to potential skiers and to the legislature he went well beyond those duties helping to start the Ski Museum of Maine and supporting Winterkids.

Ed Rogers went from skiing weekends at Sugarloaf to owning the Red Stallion, one of the area’s earliest night spots and inns. He immediately took on a leadership role with the Sugarloaf Area Assn. and organized everything from dine arounds to a central phone number for booking lodging. He played key roles in creating events such as White White World Week and even Ski New England, but his biggest impact came in pro ski racing. His New England Pro tour evolved into World Pro ski with events throughout North America, Europe and as far away as Japan.

Orman “Sonny” Goodwin epitomizes the leadership required to keep some community woned ski areas alive and well. As a leader of the Camden Outing Club, he built the A-Frame base lodge that replaced the one that burned in 1967. In 1974, he installed the two lifts purchased from Bald Mountain in Dedham. He designed and built the initial snowmaking system and at a time when the town was unable to invest in the ski area, teamed up with some friends to purchase a grooming machine. Each year he used his contacts in the building industry to raise funds for the Outing Club for operating the Snowbowl and invest in facility improvements.

The annual Induction Banquet has turned into a reunion of skiers to kick off the ski season. Last year’s event drew over 300, so mark your calendar.

See you on the slopes.

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