Stowe Derby is one of the oldest and most unique ski races in North America. It started in 1945 as a personal bet between two amazing skiers: Sepp Ruschp, an Austrian, and the head of Stowe’s new ski school, and Erling Strom, a world-famous mountaineer from Norway. Their challenge was simple: a race from the top of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak, to the historic village of Stowe, on a single pair of skis. The ultimate test of a skier’s all-around ability. At the time, Ruschp believed that his alpine skis were the fastest tools for the job, whereas Strom argued nordic skis would be the better choice. After much debate, the two decided to race. Sepp Ruschp, on alpine gear, was the winner of the first two Stowe Derbies.
The ambition of the Mt. Mansfield Academy is to provide the support and direction necessary for each young person to achieve their personal potential, goals and dreams.