Ruttin’ Rat racers from the Schnee Vogeli Ski Club finished first among 20 Mount Hood recreational racing teams to defend their PACRAT racing team title for the fourth year in a row.
PACRAT races reward improvement and consistency as well as speed, and the Ruttin’ Rats won with a combination of fast times, personal bests, and 10-out-of-10 perfect team attendance for each of the season’s five races.
The Ruttin’ Rats are:
Dale Parshall, Peter Dodd, Bob Brown, John Orefice, Gordon Lusk, Bruce Parshall, Tracy Livingston, Jack Walker, Terry Walter and Bob Lawrence.
Finishing second were the Mountain High Rattitudes, who jumped from eighth to second by picking up 51 points in the fifth and final race April 6 at Timberline.
Here are the top 10 PACRAT teams for 2013-14:
- Ruttin’ Rats
- Rattitudes
- Blizzaardos
- Kiss My Wax
- Avalanche Express
- Chilled Brewskis (tied for fifth)
- Racy Brats
- Mixed Nuts
- Awesome tAles
- Tasmanian Ski Devils
Jay Pollock of the Avalanche Express was the fastest man on the hill for each of the final three races of the season. He was also one of six racers to win platinum NASTAR medals, along with Gunter Bergner, Peter Dodd, Ken Park, Dale Parshall and Colleen Walter.
The PACRATs also honored King and Queen Rats for the greatest improvement over the course of the race season. Pat Barry was crowned Queen Rat for improving her handicap by 55 percent, and Frank Hadella was named King Rat for boosting his handicap by 28 percent.
Awards were presented at a “Great Ratsby” party held at Oaks Amusement Park Friday, April 18, with a 1920s-themed costume contest.
PACRAT race crews managed to stage five races for the season in spite of the poor snow conditions in December, January and the first half of February. The races are head-to-head giant slalom courses, with racers picking who they would like to race against. All levels of skiers and snowboarders are welcome to join a team and participate.
For more information about PACRAT racing, including how to sign up for a team for 2014-15, click here.
Last modified: April 29, 2014
