MAIDEN, N.C. One national record fell and several career-best performances went in the scorebook at the Little Mountain Pro-Am slalom ski tournament near Hickory, N.C., during the weekend.

 

Jeff Rodgers of Greenwood, S.C., a former world record holder in open men's slalom, broke his own national record for Masters Men with a run of 4 1/2 at 41 off Sunday. He boosted the record by a quarter buoy from his previous mark. 

 

Eleven pros and numerous nationally ranked amateurs were among 45 skiers for the four-round, two-day event. Nate Smith had the best round of the weekend, with a half-buoy at 43 off Saturday. His other rounds were 6 at 39 1/2, 2 1/2 at 41 and 1/2 at 41. Chris Parrish had the best four-round scores, running 2.5 and 3 at 41 off Saturday and 3.5 at 41 off in both rounds Sunday. Johan Efverstrom of Sweden (and Jack Travers ski school) had a personal best of 2 at 41, and his brother Daniel had a PB with 4 1/2 at 39 1/2. Mike Morgan skied open men and had a best round of 3 at 39 1/2. Austin Abel tied is PB with 1 1/2 at 41. Boris Laval’s best round was a half buoy at 41, and Thomas Moore’s best was 4 at 39 1/2. Corey Humburg had rounds of 4 1/2, 3, 3 1/2 and 4 at 39 1/2. Along with Rodgers in Masters Men, Mike Robinson of Charleston, S.C., had a PB with 1 1/2 at 41. Karen Truelove had to top women’s score with 3 at 39 1/2.

 

Several area skiers had personal bests and 20 percent of the field had PBs. Area skiers leaving with PBs included Little Mountain club members Dee Kiser, Chelsea Mills and John Brooks, David Fulp of Lexington, N.C., Martin Smolk of Statesville, Chris Eller of Lillington and Mike Robinson of Charleston , S.C.

 

Little Mountain Lake is an Ed Neill creation, one of six ski lakes he and son Clay have built in North Carolina and Florida. Tournament directors Jeff Gilbert and John Brooks plan to continue to expand the event and hope to make it a cash-prize stop for the pros.