VAIL — The Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in Vail, Colorado will induct six new members at a gala on Nov. 7 in Denver.

The inductees are Freda Langell Nieters, Vladimir Peter ‘Spider' Sabich, David Scott, Ann Taylor, Otto Tschudi, and Otto Werlin. All were inducted for making significant contributions to snow sports in Colorado.

The Vail Daily will publish bios of each inductee between now and the induction gala. For the other bios, see www.vaildaily.com.

Spider Sabich (1945-1976), athlete and sport builder

Vladimir Peter Sabich, Jr., like his contemporary Jean-Claude Killy, was the son of a World War II fighter pilot. He grew up in the tiny town of Kyburz, Calif., where his father was the local state patrolman. Sabich began racing in Tahoe-area events and by age 11 was beating the 16-year-olds.

Sabich joined the University of Colorado ski team in 1962. He majored in aeronautical engineering, and did well in both slalom and downhill. Between 1967 and 1970 he took 18 top-ten finishes in World Cup and Olympic races, including five podiums and a World Cup slalom win at Heavenly Valley in 1968. Than year he was fifth in the Olympic slalom at Grenoble and U.S. national downhill champion.

Sabich settled in Aspen. He exemplified the fun-loving, freewheeling tenor of the early '70s, but he was also a disciplined athlete who trained hard. A charismatic spokesman for the industry and for the products he endorsed, he was a rising media star when his life was cut short in 1976.



The 33rd annual Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame Induction Gala is Nov. 7 at the Denver Marriott City Center. For details call 970-476-1876 or visit www.skimuseum.net.