Bud Werner Memorial Library

Bud Werner Memorial Library,  Over The Hill Gang and the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp. present a  very special evening with Freestyle Skiing pioneer John Clendenin and his newly edited documentary,  Winter Equinox, the film that captures freestyle skiing in its heyday...1974.

Experience the season when Freestyle Skiing was at its pinnacle. John Clendenin will be here with the film that's packed with live footage from one epic season of aerials, moguls and ski ballet -- and then he'll share the history behind everything from 1970s revelry on the tour to the designing of jumps and how Freestyle has emerged as a different kind of sport in the Olympics and X Games today.

About John Clendenin
John Clendenin is a pioneer of Freestyle Skiing. He was a two-time World Freestyle Skiing Champion (1973 at Sun Valley and 1974 at Heavenly Valley) in addition to holding four first place titles in World Ski Ballet, and has been recognized for his accomplishments and leadership as a member of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. He has appeared in numerous films over the decades and was a star performer on the legendary Andy Williams Christmas Special before spending six years running as a featured performer on the Harry Leonard Ski Shows. The Andy Williams Christmas Special was the highest-rated TV show of its time and Clendenin appeared in 1966 performing the first ballet maneuvers on the ski deck, giving skiing in America a real boost. In 1973, his was the first human head to appear in front of the word Skiing Magazine when he was featured on the cover – an era when Freestyle was a three-event competition including aerials, moguls and ballet. Clendenin led the way as a founder and director of the first sanctioning body for Freestyle, IFSA. The IFSA was instrumental in moving freestyle competition safely to Olympic acceptance. Today, he is based in Aspen where he coaches his Clendenin Ski Method, designed for skiers to discover their potential through centered efficient skiing.

About the film
Winter Equinox, is a 45 minute documentary film on the 1974 Freestyle Skiing Pro Tour It follows freestyle pioneers John Clendenin, Bob Salerno, Ed Ferguson, and Roger Evans at Waterville Valley, Park City, Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, and Heavenly Valley as they competed on the 1974 Freestyle Tour.

Directed by Bill Burks, Winter Equinox includes 1974 Women's Freestyler of the Year Genia Fuller, Michael Grazier, Sun Valley's Penelope Street, Wayne Wong, Bob Theobald, Dan Pierce, Donavon Phillips, and some "non-sanctioned" runs by skiers who must have forgotten to put their ski pants on. Remember...it was 1974.

Winter Equinox features conversations with Clendenin, Salerno, Ferguson, and Evans on the jet charter from Waterville to Park City, in a hot tub, condo, motorhome, bar, at the tops and bottoms of runs during competition, and some great skiing. In short, it celebrates Freestyle the way it was in the early 1970s, when competitors had to do well in bumps, air, and trick and ballet.

Winter Equinox is a great way for those who were there to relive the Golden Era of Freestyle Skiing, and for those who weren't to experience how it was done back in the golden days. Old doggers, freestylers, skiers, and those who are are attracted to the free in Freestyle are invited to step back in time and enjoy the show.