Cranmore Mountain to Host Fundraiser for Olympic-bound Ski Racer Leanne Smith

Feb. 5^th event proceeds to go to Leanne and her family

NORTH CONWAY, NH – Cranmore Mountain is hosting a fundraiser on Fri., Feb. 5^th for North Conway ski racer Leanne Smith who is heading to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Leanne, who grew up skiing at Cranmore and trained on the Cranmore Race Team, was named to the US Olympic Alpine Ski Team earlier this week. She is expected to compete in the Combined and SG ski races next month.

The fundraising event, put on by Cranmore Mountain and the Eastern Slope Ski Club, takes place Fri. Feb. 5^th from 5-9pm at Cranmore’s Eating House. The event will feature a silent auction, Chinese auction, appetizers from Valley Original restaurants, cash bar, and live music from Hey Yeti plus singer/guitarist Kathy Bennett.

A $5 donation is requested at the door with 100% of those proceeds going to Leanne and her family.  Additionally, Cranmore will donate 25% of all ticket sales from their tubing park that evening from 4-7pm. Tickets are just $11 for locals and $22 for everyone else that evening.

 "Leanne is truly a Cranmore kid. She took lessons from Cranmore Snowsports School, took part in Cranmore's Rattlesnake seasonal ski program and then onto the Cranmore Race Team," stated long-time Cranmore Snowsports School Director Karen Dolan,  "From there, she competed with the Mt. Washington Valley Ski Team and the Kennett High School ski team for 4 years. Leanne's dad worked at Cranmore as a groomer and on the race crew too."

 Leanne Smith followed her older sister into skiing, latched onto racing and has kept shaving microseconds from her time. A NorAm champion and topflight junior skier, she inked a spot on the World Cup elite after finishing 23rd in her career first World Cup start, which also happened to be the first downhill of the 2008 season. 

 Her career accomplishments include:

·  2008: 23rd in career first World Cup start

·  Three more WC top 30 finishes in 2008

·  2nd in super G at '08 U.S. Championships

·  2007 NorAm overall and super G champion (1 win)

·  Ski Racing Alpine Junior of the Year for 2007

·  Former National Development Systems athlete

Additional donations may be made the day of the event. Businesses wishing to donate auction items for the event may contact Cranmore Mountain by Thursday, Feb. 4^th at 603-356-5544 ext. 352.  All donations are tax deductible and checks should be made payable to the Eastern Slope Ski Club, a registered 501C(3) non-profit organization.

 For Leanne's latest race results:  http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/613.html?sector=AL&competitorid=82326&type=result

For Leanne's profile on the US Ski Team web page: http://usskiteam.com/alpine/athletes/athlete?athleteId=1049

For more information about Cranmore, go to www.cranmore.com or call 1-800-SUN-N-SKI.