Skip to main content
Add Me To Your Mailing List
HomeAward: Joe Ross
Background Image URL //s3.amazonaws.com/ClubExpressClubFiles/623165/graphics/banner2_901973943.jpg

Far West Joe Ross Memorial Race Award...

Joe Ross came to the US from Frankfurt, Germany, at the age of 21. He was a very accomplished ice skater and was a member of the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club.
Joe started skiing in 1935 at the young age of 52, when some friends from Austria came to visit and he put on his first pair of skis at Snow Valley. He especially loved Sun Valley and traveled there many times by train. He skied all over Europe, particularly Austria and Switzerland. Joe belonged to Grindelwald Ski Club, Far World Ski Club and the FWSA for over thirty-five years. His first NASTAR race was at Jackson Hole at the age of 84.

He was featured by Harry Reasoner at age 88 on national TV when he won his gold NASTAR at Aspen. In his early 90s, he was featured in a Warren Miller film. He also appeared in Ripley’s Believe It or Not for being one of American’s most remarkable skiers as the oldest downhill skier in the US.

It was Joe's most earnest goal to ski until the age of 100. However, his goal came to an end at age 97 when he suffered a stroke while skiing at Aspen. Joe died shortly after his 99th birthday.

His spirit will continue forward in the FWSA Joe Ross Memorial Race.

The Joe Ross trophy goes to the ski club at the Far West Ski Week with the most total points for Slalom and Giant Slalom.

Year
Ski Club FWSA Ski Week Location
 2024 Sierra League Direct Steamboat Springs, CO
2023 Reno Ski & Rec Jackson Hole, WY
2022 Phoenix Snowmass, CO
2021
No Race Held
Sun Valley, ID
2020
Aerospace
Big Sky, MT
2019
Rusty Bindings Steamboat, CO
2018
Phoenix Banff, Canada
2017
Cabernet Breckenridge, CO
2016
Cabernet Telluride, CA
2015
Aerospace Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada
2014
Cabernet Beaver Creek, CO
2013
Aerospace Aspen / Snowmass, CO
2012
Cabernet Jackson Hole, WY
2011
Balboa Sun Valley, ID
2010
Modesto Keystone, CO
2009
Modesto Big Sky, MT
2008
Modesto Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada
2007
Castro Valley Steamboat, CO
2006
Castro Valley Telluride, CO
2005
Modesto Aspen/Snowmass, CO
2004
Modesto Lake Louise, Canada
2003
Code 3
Phoenix
Big Mountain, MT
2002
Code 3 Copper Mountain, CO
2001
Code 3 Sun Valley, ID
2000
Castro Valley
Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada
1999
Castro Valley Lake Louise, Canada
1998
Castro Valley Jackson Hole, WY
1997
Castro Valley Steamboat, CO
1996
Castro Valley Mt. Bachelor, OR
1995
Balboa Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada
1994
Castro Valley Banff, Canada
1993
Century City Aspen, CO
1992
Century City Vail, CO
1991
SLO Skiers Breckenridge, CO
1990
Grindelwald Telluride, CO
1989
Sequoia Banff, Canada
1988
Grindelwald The Summit, CO
1987
Sequoia Park City, UT
1986
Edelweiss Jackson Hole, WY




The Reno Ski and Recreation Club won the Joe Ross Award for the most club points in the GS race at Jackson Hole.  L-R: Bill Ramoni, Laura Greco, Larry Greco, Jo Simpson, Shayne Wallace, Paul Vandervoort, Lisa Vandervoort, Ken Simpson. Photo submitted by Lisa Vandervoort.



Joe Ross was an inspiration to every skier with his vim, vigor, love of life and dedication to the sport of skiing.





Joe skiing the Nastar course at Aspen at age 84.




John James accepting the first Joe Ross Memorial trophy for Edelweiss in 1986