Another Icon Gone: RIP Andy Mapple

[The Duke of Hurl]

For those of us who turn to skiing on water when the snow melts there is no more legendary figure in our sport than Andy Mapple. Perennial World Champion and record holder in slalom skiing, mentor to everyone, innovator in ski, boat, and speed control design, a consummate gentleman, true ambassador for the sport, father, husband, hero.

Here is a good tribute, another friend figures prominently...



Another great perspective, imagine a world champion stopping by your house for a day of skiing. Note that this is 5 years ago, the man is at the top of his form, owns his own ski manufacturing company, his own private lake, and decides to spend the day at this, um, swamp in Tallahassee...




This thread from BallOfSpray reminds me of the reaction here to McConkey, and for good reason. The parallels go on and on...

I, for one, will be tearing it up for The Goat today, and though I doubt I can throw up a wall like this. I will try...

[uglymoney]

Nice tribute! I unfortunately never met Andy that I can remember but I may have bumped into him somewhere. Funny watching that cattle gap video and watching him teach the guys open up coming in to the turns. Exact thing I'm always getting the folks I ski with to do. It is sooo much like ripping turns on snow skis when you do it right. 52 is way, way too young. RIP Andy.

[The Duke of Hurl]

I think my favorite coaching story (from the BOS thread) has to be this

"On my first set his feedback was that my free arm was swinging wildly during my offside turn. I said " I am just waving to the fans"
Andy replied " wait until Six ball, that's where the fat chicks hang out".
"Game ON" for a great three days of laughter and a Bucket List experience."

[Shredhead]

Wow 52, I had no idea.

I'll try a little harder to make a ball tonight!


RIP

[PaDuKa]

That is terrible. Three event water skiing was a big part of my life up through college (Slalom and Jump at least, I couldn't trick ski for shit), and Andy Mapple was always the icon. I never had the opportunity to meet him in person, but I always heard he was one hell of a nice guy.

Edit: Any info on what happened? I did not see that anywhere.

[The Duke of Hurl]

Apparently he was found in his truck next to his lake. No other details, his son Mike says a statement is forthcoming. Not too many scenarios relevant here for sudden death in a 52 y o athlete.

[phatty]

Glad to see some other BoS members here. Was very bummed when I saw the news.

[ticketchecker]

Andy was on top during the height of my slalom course obsession days. I worked for an Obrien dealer at the time, his picture was all over the ski room.

Major bummer

[Xover]

Apparently he was found in his truck next to his lake. No other details, his son Mike says a statement is forthcoming. Not too many scenarios relevant here for sudden death in a 52 y o athlete.

Slalomed last night for the first time in 15 years and heard a little bit more than that at the lake I was skiing at. Hopefully the family will release a statement when they are ready and hopefully that will be sooner than later as I know water skiers world wide are wondering. GOAT!

[uglymoney]

Took some turns for Andy this afternoon. Not worthy but I did my best.

[uglymoney]

We lost another great one today. RIP Skip Gilkerson. Skip also spent many winters in Aspen and pioneered the freestyle jumping over the restaurant deck at the Highlands. According to another article I found he also patrolled at Vail in the sixties and apparently brought hang gliders with him from Bartletts which they used to fly down the mountain. When he worked for Mastercraft he came here for one of his famous free clinics and coached me on various stuff but mostly slalom. Great guy who still judged every Show Ski Nationals. He hit a deer on his motorcycle on his way to coach football in Texas and was then run over by a cement truck which broke about every bone in his body and after a while the infections were too much. Very sad (:

http://www.usawaterski.org/default.asp?Display=2283

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/skipgilkerson

[JayPowHound]

He hit a deer on his motorcycle on his way to coach football in Texas and was then run over by a cement truck...

http://www.usawaterski.org/default.asp?Display=2283

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/skipgilkerson

Damn... that's a hell of a way to go. RIP

[uglymoney]

Skip brought handgliding to vail in the sixties. http://www.vaildaily.com/article/201...IN02/130319885

Skip brought his showski tradition with him from Tommy Bartlett's watershow in the Dells to start the deck jumping tradition at the Highlands on Cloud 9. I remember Skip talking to my Dad about this because we went to Aspen a lot when I was young and used to sit on that deck to watch them jump well before we knew who Skip was. Found this piece.http://employeelounge.steamboat.com/...ource=activity

Renovation of Cloud Nine won’t dampen restaurant’s fun factor
Madeleine Osberger - Aspen Daily News
SkiCo says its keeping an eye on excess ‘consumption’ at legendary party palace Cloud Nine at Aspen Highlands is getting a facelift this summer befitting the most profitable of Aspen Skiing Co.’s on-mountain restaurants.
With just 130 seats in total, the compact eatery will experience a $1 million-plus renovation that reorients the main dining room to better capture views of Pyramid Peak and the Maroon Bells, adds a second dining room that can be closed off for privacy and moves both the existing fireplace and the restrooms.
The renovation will be extensive but “They’re leaving the walls, which is a good thing because I think there’s some magic in them,” said Mac Smith, the long-time patrol director at Aspen Highlands. Since chef Andreas Fischbacher helped direct Cloud Nine’s transformation into a European-style bistro 14 years ago, the eatery has become a hot ticket for skiers and riders who want to celebrate a special event, savor a sit-down meal or enjoy a boozy lunch that’s often punctuated by guests dancing on the tabletops.
In the current edition of Gourmet Traveller, writer Clair Weaver offers this bird’s eye view of the scene: “It’s raining Champagne. Thermal clothing is being tossed to the floor, wooden benches are shaking under the weight of dancing ski boots and dozens of $130 bottles of Veuve Clicquot are being shake and sprayed into the air, Formula One style.
“Three tanned women in their 40s with inflated lips have stripped down to their singlets and are grinding against each other provocatively. A group of teenage boys cheer them on enthusiastically,” Weaver continues.
While Cloud Nine’s party palace reputation is prompting internal discussions about potential changes “with regard to alcohol consumption and safety exiting the restaurant,” according to spokesman Jeff Hanle, it would be a mistake to believe this is a phenomenon of the new millennium.
When Whip Jones owned Highlands, his guest services department courted college students and ski clubs. Groups of 10 guests or more typically were feted with a wine and cheese gathering on the deck.
“We couldn’t wait for the LSU Tigerettes to show up one year,” said Smith. “Cloud Nine had that kind of energy from the get-go.”
To augment that “energy,” Jones supported the ski patroller’s antics where patrollers “jumped over the 54-foot deck,” recalled Kevin “Hags” Hagerty, the current mountain manager at Highlands.
According to the Aspen Skiing Co. and Aspen Historical Society records, the original structure was built in 1963 and served cafeteria-style cooking. The first Cloud Nine, which shared its space with the ski patrol, burnt down in 1967.
It wasn’t rebuilt until 1971, at which time the idea to host groups for wine and cheese parties on the deck really took hold. Shortly thereafter, Jones hired two former water skiers, Skip Gilkerson and Dave Wright, from the Tommy Bartlett show in Wisconsin, who Smith credits with pioneering the patrol deck jump.
Those continued until 1993, when Jones bequeathed the mountain to Harvard University, which turned around and sold it to SkiCo. Building usage changed too, as the new owners tried everything from a casual brown-bag experience to the Cloud Nine Soup Bowl. It kept the patrollers as roommates as well, until a stunning new home was built for them a decade ago.
In terms of revenue, the bistro with its parties that at times border on a bacchanal, has been by far the most successful use. Tiny Cloud Nine out-earns the 435-seat Merry-Go-Round and Elk Camp, at Snowmass, which can seat 373 patrons, according to Hanle.
Imbibing has always been a part of the Cloud Nine experience.
“In the ‘70s, I remember taking drunk people down in toboggans,” Smith said. But he emphasized the building’s appeal spans well beyond the prix fixe menu, raclette and fondue lunches that are often topped off by wine or some bubbly.
“It’s just got some richness in its history and its soul,” Smith said, comparing it to the vibe at the Woody Creek Tavern which serves “good food in a tight place. Everyone’s sitting cheek to jowl.”
Smith is as much an authority on Cloud Nine as anyone, having worked, eaten and literally jumped over the panabode-style structure for many years. He’s also realistic about its current usage, and wondered aloud about the crews remodeling the building in time for the 2015/16 season.
“Maybe they’re going to put Champagne-proof paint on it,” Smith joked.