The SARA Cup is a program that celebrates team accomplishments, recognizes individuals' contributions to overall team standing and incentivizes maximum race team participation. There will be two cups awarded each year, one cup for U10-U14 racers and one cup for U16-U19 racers.
After we wrap the Champs for U10-U14 and U16/U19, we will calculate point standings based on the World Cup points system. Within the two age divisions, all points earned by all races will be added up, combining male and female racers’ points. The mountains with the most accumulated points will be awarded the cup. Only points accumulated during Champs races will be used for the calculations. This means that the U10-U14 Cup is based solely on points earned at the Champs Weekend races. The U16-U19 Cup will include points accumulated during the three weekends of qualifier/Champs races
Winning mountains for each age division would be recognized with a large trophy that would reside at their mountain until the following year, when it is awarded to the next mountain. The trophy would have the winning mountains name and year added to the base. The trophies will be awarded to the winning team on their Champs weekend.
These cups are named in honor or two individuals who have been integral to the advancement of ski racing in the Southeast and the formation of SARA.
Horst Locher SARA Cup (U10-U14)
Horst Locher was born in Leutkirch, Germany in 1940. Horst and his two brothers learned to ski at an early age, and quickly fell in love with the sport. By 1964, Horst was teaching skiing in Germany and his career was coming into focus. In the middle of 1966, Horst traveled to New Zealand to teach skiing. Once the season was over in New Zealand, Horst headed to the new Bryce Resort, where they recently began to make artificial snow on their two official slopes. In 1967 Horst was named Director of the Ski School.
During the next summers, Horst travelled back to New Zealand to teach skiing, returning each winter to direct the ski school at Bryce. In 1972 Horst met Debbie and they were married in 1974. They welcomed their son, Ryan, in 1976. In 1975 the Bryce Ski Race Team was formed, and the weekend tradition of NASTAR began. In 1976, Horst introduced Grass Skiing to America and in 1979 the first Word Grass Ski Championship was held at Bryce Resort.
The Bryce Ski Team originally competed in PARA, the Pennsylvania Alpine Racing Association. However, in 1997, Horst and Gunther Jochl decided work with other local mountains to form a new association for ski race teams in the mid-Atlantic, and SARA was born.
Horst has made it his life’s work to promote skiing and ski racing in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and now Ohio! He has helped thousands of people learn and enjoy the sport of skiing and hundreds of racers to ski fast and have fun! It is very fitting to name the U10-U14 SARA Cup after him.
Gunther Jochl SARA Cup (U16-U19)
Gunther Jochl, a native of Austria, has actively been involved in all aspects of the ski industry. His constant pursuit of perfection is a result of his intense love and passion for the sport of skiing and the outdoors. It is the foundation of the company’s culture. Mr. Jochl is an excellent skier and competes regularly in Sugar Mountain ski events.
He has a long history of supporting ski racing at Sugar and beyond, offering his race team the opportunity to train on mountain when it is closed to the public, creating a challenging and safe racing venue, and supporting the team.
In 2019 Mr. Jochl received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, an honor granted by the State of North Carolina to individuals who have shown extraordinary service to the state. It is the highest award for state service granted by the Office of the Governor.
2024 Cup Winners
U10-U14 Horst Locher Cup - Bryce
U16-U19 Gunther Jochl Cup - Wintergreen
2023 Cup Winners
U10-U14 Horst Locher Cup - Snowshoe
U16-U19 Gunther Jochl Cup - Wintergreen