Oregon high school ski racers and their families and coaches can breathe a collective sigh of relief now that state racing officials have scrambled to find a solution to a vexing insurance issue that threatened the continuation of a 58-year Oregon tradition.

With two major lawsuits expected to result in large payouts soon, the insurance company that had served the Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association originally declined to cover the current racing season. OISRA officials managed to resolve the situation just in time for racers and their families to buy discounted lift tickets to the Mount Hood resorts. 

“With the help of many OISRA volunteers, our insurance problems are being resolved and we expect to have our skiers back on the slopes for another season,” OISRA Executive Director Dave Munson said on October 31, 2019. “It’s a great example of the ski community coming together to make something happen.

OISRA has been providing high school skiers with ski-racing and team-building opportunities for 58 years. More than 800 high school students from over 50 schools participated in Alpine and Nordic races last season. This photo from last winter’s Kelsey Race on Mount Hood gives a sense of the good times associated with the Oregon high school racing tradition.

However, skiing is inherently risky, and insurance can be one of the most challenging aspects of ski racing, freestyle competitions, and the ski industry as a whole. 

Congratulations to Munson and his colleagues for figuring out a tough situation, and here’s to an excellent 2019-20!

Last modified: October 15, 2019