In Brief

The Columbia Ski Racing Team provides a fun, competitive atmosphere for the Columbia skiing enthusiast. Our team competes in the US Collegiate Snowsport Association within the New Jersey Conference. We have raced both Slalom and Giant Slalom since the team's inception. As a Club Sport on Columbia's campus, we are afforded a degree of freedom and community sometimes not felt on varsity sports. The family atmosphere and friendly relationship between team members allows for year-round interaction within the team.

During the Season

From early-January until mid-March, the race season is in full swing. We hold two weekly practices on the snow at Mountain Creek, wednesday evening and all day friday, and races are held on saturdays and sundays at the same location. Many students plan their semester schedule around the practice and weekend schedule of the team. When the teams qualify for the post-season, which recently both teams have done consistently, we travel to a rotating loaction for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Competition. Aside from skiing, the team's fun atmosphere leads to many parties and events, which tend to bond the Ski Team family.

Team Trips

In addition to the regular race schedule, Columbia Skiers traditionally go on two week-long skiing trips to exotic locations other than beautiful New Jersey. Before all the students have crawled back to Columbia for the spring semester, the ski team voyages a week early to go on the Spring Training Trip. Locations for this trip have included the Kirkwood, Saddleback, Killington, Stowe, and Okemo mountain resorts. The training trip is meant to give new racers initial training, and refresh the legs of veteran racers. The highlight of spring trip is thursday evening which has become a tradition known as "Cheap Champagne Night."

To compliment the early season trip, Columbia skiers usually wind down the season with an excursion over spring break to an incredible destination. Locations for this trip have included Whistler, BC, Chamonix, France, and Val d'Isère, France.

Interested?

If you are interested in finding out more about the Columbia Racing Program, feel free to contact either captain. We can arrange for student visits to Columbia's campus here in bustling New York City, where you can spend a night with a member of the Ski Team and find out more about what the university has to offer. Call or email either captain and give your name, contact information, and racing background. Racing is an important part of the program, but we also want to have as much fun as possible.

CU on the slopes!
Related information:

• Columbia University Homepage
• Columbia Undergraduate Admissions

Trip History