Sunday River Turns Up The Heat This Weekend With Winter Olympian Troy Murphy
Sunday River Resort will kick off another weekend chock-full of events with a homecoming for Bethel, Maine native, Winter Olympian Troy Murphy this Sunday, March 25, followed by two annual events—the 28th annual Firefighter Race and the Eat the Heat Chili Cookoff.
Murphy’s first appearance back in his home state and ski resort since the Winter Olympics in PeyonChange, South Korea, will begin with a free mogul clinic in Rocking Chair Terrain Park from 9 to 11 a.m.
During the free mogul clinic, Murphy will offer tips and demonstrations to ticketed guests before making an appearance at alma mater Gould Academy Competition Program’s end of season celebration at 1 p.m.
“We’re incredibly proud of Troy and are excited that he has signed on to help teach guests how to ski moguls like an Olympian,” Caroline Ochtera, Marketing Events Manager for Sunday River Resort, says.
More resort events for Sunday include the annual Master of the Hose Firefighter Race, which pins firefighters against snowmakers in an epic giant slalom race down the resort’s Tempest ski trail from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m.
Free to spectators, each team of five will dress in head-to-toe turnout and/or snowmaking gear and race down a giant slalom course while carrying a massive fire or snowmaking hose.
In 2017, the local Bethel Fire Department beat out nearly a dozen teams from parts of New England and Canada for the Master of Hose title.
Following the race, the annual Eat the Heat Chili Cookoff kicks off slopeside at Whitecap Lodge at noon. There, local chefs and restaurants alike will compete with the hopes of winning Best Chili or People’s Choice.
This year’s celebrity guests judging for Best Chili, including Super Bowl selfie kid, Ryan McKenna, Jeff Peterson from WGME-TV, Steve Minich from WMTW-TV and Robert Witkowski from the Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Chili samples will be $1 per sample; all proceeds will go to the Sunday River Community Fund.
