Lindsey Vonn wins, then Tebows in Beaver Creek.

Since she announced her separation and missed a slalom race in Aspen because of "back pain", Lindsey Vonn has been dialed in.  Four straight first place finished.  In Beaver Creek she Tebowed on the podium. Nice move.

Click the Vid, Courtsey of Universal Sports.

The Best Guys in Aspen

Two of AspenSpin's favorite guys in Aspen are getting busy. 

Raifie Bass and Chris Klug are both survivors and transplant recipients.  It wasn't long ago that both of these guys were laying on their death beds reflecting on their lives which appeared to be almost over.  Raifie and Chirs both faced down critical illnesses and came out on top.  Before they got sick, both Raife and Chris led incredibly active lives.  They are still doing that today, thank God.  Both overcame tremendous odds, so this is a a happy story....yeaaaaah. While, disease presented a huge obstacle to Raifie and CK, they both survived and now they are both prepping for the future. 

The Basses. Click to enlargeRaifie, is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He is a husband to Michelle and father of two super-active boys, Max and Andy plus 2 Pugs.  He works in Real Estate, he shreds, he bikes, he plays rec hockey, loves live music and he has an incredible hockey memorabilia collection. He is leading a normal life after a near death bout with Cancer. Raife is highly engaged with Aspen's Cancer Survivors Center and a big time hockey dad to the Aspen Squirt B's who are in the midst of a record setting season and on their way to the prestigious Silver Stick tournament finals in Canada.

The Klugs. Click to EnlargeChris is loved by everyone who meets him.  He is married to Missy and Daddy to 6 month old baby Bali.  He is a 3-Time Olympian, a Bronze Medal winner in 2002, and one of the best athletes in Aspen. He recently retired from the professional snowboard tour.  He too works in Real Estate... when he's not adventure racing, surfing, commentating, giving motivational speeches or tirelessly working for the Chris Klug Foundation (CKF).  Chris knows he's lucky to be alive.  Critical liver problems almost ended it all, but a different number came up and Chris received the gift of life in the form of a liver transplant.

Click to Pledge This Weekend, Dec 9-11, 2011, CKF is hosting their 6th Annual Summit for Life uphill climb on Aspen Mountain.  More than 500 hearty soles will hike, skin-ski or snowshoe up 3,267 vertical feet to the top of Ajax.  This event raises money and awareness for organ and tissue donation. Click SUMMIT 4 LIFE to get all the facts, to pledge,  to participate.

Raife's cause is a little less serious, but no less fun.  The Aspen Squirt B's went down to Denver and won the prestigious Silver Stick Tournament. They are only Aspen team in more than 30 years to win their region.  As Rocky Mountain Champions, they will travel to Canada to represent Aspen at the International Silver Stick Finals Tournament in January.  The Squirts (age 9-11) are trying to raise money to fund their trip.  You can help the kids out...click:  ASPEN SQUIRT B's. 

If you don't love Raifie Bass and Chris Klug...you don't like people.  They're both all-around great guys.  When I hear the phrase Joie de Vivre (joy of life) I think of my pals Raifie and CK. Please, if you can, dig deep and support the Chris Klug Foundation and Aspen Squirt B's.  Share the wealth and the Joie de vivre.

After hiking himself...Chris is the official greeter at The Summit for Life.

How can you say no? The Aspen Squirt B's. Rocky Mountain Champs. Photo: Raifie Bass click to donate.

The Beaver and the Fast Boys

Bode Miller wins The Birds of Prey The FIS Men's World Cup Ski Racing tour came to Colorado for 3 scheduled races at Beaver Creek on the challenging Birds of Prey course this past weekend.  Aspen Spin went outside the bubble and the traffic circle to enjoy the festivities at The Beav. 

We're gonna say it up front WE LOVE THE BEAVER...(except for the parking situation). It's a quaint little pre-fabricated village at the base of an extremely skiable mountain that has plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. Considering the early season conditions and that much of the mountain was closed off for the race course, the skiing was not the top attraction. The race on Birds of Prey was center stage.

Check our sick pix. Click:   THE BEAVER

We rolled the 100 miles from Aspen and arrived just in time to see the USA's BODE MILLER "attack, attack, attack" the Beav to win the  20011 Birds of Prey Downhill.  Second place went to hot Swiss skier Beat Fuez and third to Austrian Klaus Kroell.  Beaver Creek was buzzing after Bode's BIG win.  The VIP area was rowdier than ever, Korbel Champaign was a sponsor ...so the corks were poppin'.  Bode, started in 12th position and held on as 55 more racers failed to beat his near perfect run.  Aspen's own Wiley Maple skied fast and finished a very respectable 51st. From the U.S. Ski Team, Ted Ligity finished at 22, Marco Sullivan 28th and Erik Fisher 29th to round out the top 30.

The podium scene was on fire.  Lots of people embracing Bode who was smiling pretty bright, despite his generally unemotional demeaner.  After the awards, we got a head's up about Bode's collaboration with Artist Malcolm Farley and their joint event at C. Anthony Gallery in Beaver Creek. As you can imagine, Bode was in high demand, the $10,000 paintings were selling briskly. The place was packed.  Billy Kidd was there, Johnny Mosley was there.  Everybody was there.  Bode Miller is a very gracious winner.  He was humble, friendly, patient and articulate with tons of fans. AspenSpin's observation,  Bode expects to win.  He knows if he puts it all together, no one can beat him.  When it happens...no big deal.  While Bode usually plays it close to the vest in public...you could see the quiet satisfaction of victory in his expression and demeanor.

We did a drop-bye at the Snow Mag / Sentient Jet / Portillio party and then hit Bode's Turtle Ridge Foundation (TRF) fundraising event event.  TRF is Bode and his family's No Profit that supports adaptive and youth sports in New Hampshire (fah dam sha) and other communities throughout the U.S.    Bode was surrounded by his loved one's, family and friends including his 3 year old daughter who only had eyes for daddy.  Learn more about TRF, Click:  TURTLE RIDGE FOUNDATION

Things got a little out of control after that, and apparently AspenSpin made the podium at a late night after party. Suffice to say it was a BIG night in Beaver Creek.

Swiss Bliss at the Beav.1st and 3rd in Super GDay 2 saw the Swiss skiers dominate the Super G.  First-time world cup winner Sandro Viletta bested the field and teammate Beat Feuz scored his second podium finish in as many days.  Second place went to fan favorite Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway.  Svindal, an Olympic Gold Medalist and 4 Time World Champion seems to be especially popular with the ladies. Maybe its because he's 6' 3" and sculpted like a Greek God...and a very nice guy.  Not to be a spoiler...ladies, he's off the market, it's no secret he's paired up with USA World Cupper Julia Mancuso. Svindal was in the "hot seat" for most of the day until Viletta blasted out of the 30th slot to take the crown.   The Swiss Bliss continued at the finish as Viletta could not stop grinning.

A little cocktail bash with USSA Alumni sponsored by NEVE (super plush knits, made in Colorado) topped off day 2.  Then it was back to the home turf in Aspen.

Day 3 resulted in a Giant Slalom win for Marcel Hirscher of Austria followed by Ted Ligety USA and Fritz Dupfer of Germany.  3 more races (Dec 6-8) were added to Birds of Prey for next week due to lack of snow in Europe. Both the ladies and the men will be getting after it in Beaver Creek.

It's a short drive to Beaver Creek--only 100 miles from Aspen, and the speed limit is 75 mph for a good portion of that distance.   If you're available...make the trip, see the fastest, most powerful ski racers in the world; Men and Women.  It's a blast at Beaver Creek.  The Vail Valley Foundation puts on a great show.  For all the info, schedules and results Click:  BIRDs of PREY

To See our SICK PIX, Click  THE BEAVER

Bode Miller wins the Birds of Prey Downhill at Beaver Creek 12/3/11 Photo: George Frey / EPA

Bode Miller was a gracious winner and greeted fans warmly. Click for more pix.Snow Mag / Sentient Jet / Portillo World Cu Soiree at The Beav. Click for more sick pix.The Super G. Podium at Beaver Creek. 1. Viletta, Sui 2. Svindal, Nor 3. Fuez, Sui

Bode blasts the Birds of Prey.

American speed skiing got a shot in the arm from its superstar BODE MILLER who laid down a near perfect run on The Birds of Prey Downhill course at Beaver Creek.

OFFICIAL RESULTS:

1) BODE MILLER    USA

2) BEAT FEUZ        SUI

3) KLAUS KROELL  AUT

The Aspen Party Crasher

Skinny Girl in Aspen.You would think that being the #1 Winter Sports Blogger on Twitter would offer some priviledges.  After 6 years of Rapping and Snapping, Aspen Spin is on most of the party lists in Aspen.  Sure we still have a  "do you know who I am?" moment once in a while, but most people in Aspen are hep to A-Spin's brand of good clean fun.

Click for Pix:  Aspen Party Crasher

Apparently Bethenny, Bravo TV and Skinny Girl Cocktails do not know who I am...or decided that super-sick viral content was not in their best interest.  For whatever reason AspenSpin was not on the list.  We kept getting tid-bits from our peeps that Bethenny Frankel and her reality TV caravan and the marketing machine behind Skinny Girl were in Aspen.  Not being a devoted fan of the reality TV genre we just kept our head down and continued to ski every day and party every night.  We got a tip that Skinny Girl was throwing down at the Sundeck atop Ajax at 8 pm.  Hmmmm.  Night-time gondy rides are pretty fun.  Hmmmm. Liquor companies usually have excellent swag.  Hmmmm.

Security can be tight with the Ski Co. in the mix, but we decided to give it a try. There was no crowd milling about at the entrance to the Gondola, it looked kind of dead.  There was a pair of clipboard wielding flacks at the top of the stairs, but, when a man of a certain age walks past young girls, the "invisible jucice" kicks in.  I made my best "of course I'm on the list" face and without much friction... A. Party was on a RED Gondy heading uphill.  Taking the leisurely 17 minute ride to the top that has become my mantra.

Poof...I was in.  Just a small matter of signing a 4 page TV waiver.  WTF?  I don't sign stuff anymore.  Luckily one of the top lawyers in town was just ahead of me.  He glanced at the form, then at his wife, back at the form...and signed up.

It was amazing...not really.  The Sundeck was all decked out in Skinny Girl marketing materials.  The music was playing, the bar was open ...and who are these people?  Of the 60 or so guests...40 were working the event.  TV people, agency people, activation assistants, fluffers...you get the picture.  I was immediately served a Skinny Girl Cosmo.  I tried a sip, but I wanted to stay on top of my game for Bethenny's entrance.

The music stopped, the lights went up, the sound boom came out, security went to code orange...It was Bethenny Time.  I was not feeling it.  W. W. TMZ. D.  I pushed my way to the front and yelled BETHenNY...I LOVE YOU...(not really).  I snapped a few pix and left. 

The crashing was the best part.  I just needed to feel that tingle you get when you are someplace you're not supposed to be.  I had to prove it to myself...I still have the skills to pay the bills.

Click4 Pix:  ASPEN PARTY CRASHER.

Bethany Frankel / Skinny Girl Cosmo's in Aspen

 Skinny Girl put on a show at the Sundeck