Gary Schneider, a 33-year-old high school teacher and former cross-country ski coach, has been riding the train to Grandview since he was 7.

Phil Mahre retired two months later to pursue car racing and organizing corporate events and is now a part-time ski coach.

Mr. Merrill was also the ski coach at Dartmouth from 1956 to 1972.

"You have to understand that being a ski coach in Austria is a very high-profile thing," Demschar said.

A former ski coach and a dedicated golfer (with a two handicap), he admits he takes the event "a little more seriously than most people."

Michael Allen, director of Heavenly's ski school, said he was hiring only 275 ski coaches this season, 27 percent fewer than last.

After yesterday's marathon, he was to return to Albuquerque to train with the ski coach at the University of New Mexico.

His uncle Mike Kenney, a ski coach, stood nearby.

The Swiss ski coaches came to their aid, followed by the American coaches and doctors.

He was also the former cross-country ski coach for Harvard University.