Bob Bernard [1923-2008]

Ski racing and the masters community has lost a great friend with the passing of Bob Bernard. His loss is deeply saddening to all who had the privilege to know Bob.

Bob was an enormously influential member of our racing community. The masters racing programs we enjoy today are in large part due to the passion and organizational skills he brought to our sport. Coming to ski racing later in his life, Bob found challenge and joy in the sport and became a worthy champion. In his own quest for excellence, his standards were high and he set his goals to pursue the best - while he might not have been able to beat Alberto Tomba, he saw no reason not to try to reach that level!

Beyond the enjoyment he found in his own racing, Bob supported the sport of ski racing through his involvement with USSA, the US ski team, and in the Far West. He was one of the founders along with Joe Lausmann of the Far West Masters scholarship fundraising program, which has grown into a very successful and appreciated program that helps support junior ski racers in the Far West.

For many years, no masters championship event or race in the Far West was complete without Bob setting the standard for all us younger folk both on the race hill and off. In recent years he raced less often after health problems knocked him off the hill for a period, but he continued to have an active and satisfying life with family and travel as well as continuing to ski.

He will be deeply missed, yet his legacy lives on with all of us and he will not be forgotten. Bob was a fierce competitor, a good friend, and a true gentleman.

Bob's Racing Career

Bob became a ski racer later in life and tackled the challenge of becoming a great racer with gusto. Over time, he became one of the best racers in the Far West, as well as in national and international masters competition. Not just "good for an old guy" - just plain "really good"!! Many a younger racer found it tough and rewarding to try to get closer to the times he posted.

One of his first masters races was at Dodge Ridge, where he met Joe and Norma Lausmann. After Joe took him under his wing and showed him the ropes, Bob and his wife Pat became what seemed like nearly inseparable travelling and racing companions with the Lausmann's.

Bob's first nationals was at Copper Mountain in 1977 and he became a familiar face at championship events and on the podium. The last nationals Bob competed in was at Sunday River in 2006, where he came away (once again!) with multiple victories and was named to the 2007 Spyder National Masters team.

Bob and Masters Ski Racing

Bob's contributions to masters ski racing are almost too numerous to catalog. He was chairman of the Far West Masters division as well as the masters national committee chairman for many years. He also served as the US representative to the FIS International Masters.

Bob created the Divisions Cup which is contested each year at the US Alpine Masters National Championships. He invented an age-handicap scoring formula for masters age groups which has been used for many years in the Far West at the Bernard Cup trophy races each year at his home area of Squaw Valley.

Bob and Junior Ski Racing

Bob's passion for ski racing went beyond his own competitive career and led him to involvement with the US Ski Team as well as encouraging the sport of ski racing in the Far West. One of his most influential activities was the founding along with Joe Lausmann of a fund-raising program to help junior ski racers in the Far West. The program has grown over the years and been moved forward by Eddie Mozen and other Far West masters into a respected and appreciative funding source to help junior athletes pursue their competitive goals.