Monday March 27, 2006
News
Bittersweet victory for Snow Summit and Team Big Bear
By KATHY PORTIE
A $25 million lawsuit filed in 2004 by a downhill mountain bike racer against Snow Summit, Team Big Bear and USA Cycling has been dismissed in San Bernardino Superior Court.
Judge Frank Gafkowski entered a judgment for the defendants and against racer Brian Spillane March 15. Spillane suffered a permanent back injury during a fall in a 2004 race.
We knew two or three months ago that we had received a favorable ruling, said Dick Kun, president Big Bear Mountain Resorts. Now it looks like both Team Big Bear and USA Cycling have received the same judgment.
Snow Summit received the earlier ruling after it was determined the resort was not involved in running the event in which Spillane was injured. We had nothing to do with the race, said Chris Riddle, Snow Summit marketing director. It was just held at the resort.
Spillane can file an appeal, but Kun is cautiously optimistic the case is over. It's very unlikely they'll overturn this ruling.
Tom Spiegel, owner of Team Big Bear, finds the ruling a bittersweet vindication. I'm satisfied with the judgment but don't particularly care for the process, Spiegel said in a telephone interview with The Grizzly March 21. Spiegel was on the road to Arizona to stage the first race of the season, the NORBA National Marathon March 24-26. (The racer) signed a release, but you have to prepare yourself to defend yourself in court.
According to Spiegel, even though the court ruled in his favor, damage has been done to the sport. Downhill racing was removed from Team Big Bear's local race schedule last summer. Big Bear lost its involvement in the NORBA national series. From the beginning I've said I'd not be in this business if I thought I was negligent, Spiegel said. When accidents happen, it's a tragedy, but I have never felt we were negligent.
The 2006 local schedule shows more changes in the race season. The long-time relationship between Team Big Bear and Snow Summit is over as races will be staged from a different venue. There are three cross country events, including the Big Bear Shoot Out series and the Fall Classic. The Amateur Cup series, which included four race dates and was the oldest amateur series in the state, is history. And the Super D event, a combined downhill and cross country race invented in Big Bear, won't be in Big Bear this year.
Contact reporter Kathy Portie at (909) 866-3456, ext. 135, or by e-mail at kportie@bigbeargrizzly.net.
News
Bittersweet victory for Snow Summit and Team Big Bear
By KATHY PORTIE
A $25 million lawsuit filed in 2004 by a downhill mountain bike racer against Snow Summit, Team Big Bear and USA Cycling has been dismissed in San Bernardino Superior Court.
Judge Frank Gafkowski entered a judgment for the defendants and against racer Brian Spillane March 15. Spillane suffered a permanent back injury during a fall in a 2004 race.
We knew two or three months ago that we had received a favorable ruling, said Dick Kun, president Big Bear Mountain Resorts. Now it looks like both Team Big Bear and USA Cycling have received the same judgment.
Snow Summit received the earlier ruling after it was determined the resort was not involved in running the event in which Spillane was injured. We had nothing to do with the race, said Chris Riddle, Snow Summit marketing director. It was just held at the resort.
Spillane can file an appeal, but Kun is cautiously optimistic the case is over. It's very unlikely they'll overturn this ruling.
Tom Spiegel, owner of Team Big Bear, finds the ruling a bittersweet vindication. I'm satisfied with the judgment but don't particularly care for the process, Spiegel said in a telephone interview with The Grizzly March 21. Spiegel was on the road to Arizona to stage the first race of the season, the NORBA National Marathon March 24-26. (The racer) signed a release, but you have to prepare yourself to defend yourself in court.
According to Spiegel, even though the court ruled in his favor, damage has been done to the sport. Downhill racing was removed from Team Big Bear's local race schedule last summer. Big Bear lost its involvement in the NORBA national series. From the beginning I've said I'd not be in this business if I thought I was negligent, Spiegel said. When accidents happen, it's a tragedy, but I have never felt we were negligent.
The 2006 local schedule shows more changes in the race season. The long-time relationship between Team Big Bear and Snow Summit is over as races will be staged from a different venue. There are three cross country events, including the Big Bear Shoot Out series and the Fall Classic. The Amateur Cup series, which included four race dates and was the oldest amateur series in the state, is history. And the Super D event, a combined downhill and cross country race invented in Big Bear, won't be in Big Bear this year.
Contact reporter Kathy Portie at (909) 866-3456, ext. 135, or by e-mail at kportie@bigbeargrizzly.net.
