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By MARK FITZHENRY markf@leader.net
Saturday, February 05, 2000 Page: 1B
SCRANTON – As he gets older, 42-year-old Tom Mitchell realizes that
competition isn’t that important.
Yeah, right.
“When you’re there, you’re trying to win,” the veteran skier said. “You
should be, anyway.”
Mitchell posted the second-fastest time in Friday’s Super G at Montage
Mountain, as part of the Keystone State Games Winter Festival. Mitchell, of
Bear Creek, specializes in the giant slalom, and finished the Spike course in
38.68 seconds, 0.28 behind the overall leader.
In the Super G, Mitchell beat nine racers to win his 40-44 age group, the
second-largest age group in the competition.
Mitchell, a lifelong area resident, is familiar with Montage. He is a
co-owner of the family business, the Bear Creek Ski Shack, which is in its
15th year of operation near the mountain.
He has competed in 12 of 13 Keystone winter games, the lone miss because of
a back injury a few years ago. He also competes in a weekly corporate racing
league. His team lost Thursday by 0.12 seconds – not that he’s keeping track.
“He’s competitive, but he’ll keep it fun,” said Mark Symancek, the ski
school instructor at Montage. “Tom will help you out. If you need to borrow
his wax or sharpening stones, he’ll let you borrow that, even if he’s
competing against you.”
Greg Congdon, 31, of Forest City, had the fastest overall time in the Super
G, finishing in 38.40 seconds. John Kelly, 33, of Old Forge, was third at
38.79 and second to Congdon in the 30-34 age group.
Barbara Brumbaugh, a 36-year-old from Towanda, was the fastest woman and
fourth-fastest skier overall at 38.84. There were 58 skiers in the Super G,
which combines elements of downhill and slalom racing.
Call Fitzhenry at 829-7218.