IZZYISMS • A Much Larger World He talks about the X Games and the face of Aspen, about suitable Olympic venues, and about the future of U.S. skiing. Much remains off the record. One item that does not is Aspen’s hosting the FIS event that has the town so busy this week. And this is definitely Bill’s town. He retired from the USSA in 2014, but remains a FIS Council Member and a U.S. Olym-pic Committee board member, from where he continues to be an international proponent of U.S. ski racing. He’s worked with the city to keep the World Cup and other events in Aspen, and underplays the effort it took to sell his hometown to the FIS, offering things like discounted rooms for athletes during the resort’s busiest season. More than anything, he credits the place with selling itself. Marolt is at ease with his role in bringing the world back to Aspen, and why not? This week is a homecoming, a reunion and, above all, a chance to appreciate what he has worked for his entire life. Plus, it just so happens that an American is slated to win the overall title. The afternoon sun has softened the ice, and the Aspen Brewery has softened my resolve, so I wish him and Connie well and thank him for the interview. Before wandering off to watch Mikaela, I ask the 74-year-old what’s next. The answer could not be simpler, or more fitting. “Well,” he says, “I thought I’d go skiing.” TOP • At 74 years old, Bill Marolt can still lay down a mean turn. Marolt bashes gates at Squaw Valley, CA, during the U.S. Ski Team Day in 2012. Photo: Katie Perhai/USSA BOTTOM • While no longer at the helm of the USSA, Marolt remains involved with both the FIS and the U.S. Olympic Committee. He recently visited the Alpensia Nordic Center near Pyeongchang, South Korea, which will serve as the central venue for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Photo: Tom Kelly/USSA 106 The Ski Journal
The Ski Journal Volume Eleven, Issue Three: Page 106
