Rod Aller’s Racing Career

Rod put skies to snow in 1924 on Northland skies and toe straps in 1924 at age eight in Morrisville, N.J.

He formed the Hotchkiss Nordic Ski Club in Lakeville, CT. in 1932 jumping on the 60-meter hill in Salisbury.

Rod and his colleagues started the Princeton University Ski Team in 1934.

As Captain of the team from 1936 – 1938 he won numerous Ivy League Nordic and Alpine events against Yale, Brown and Colgate.

In 1938 he was eighth at the Dartmouth Winter Carnival in Jumping.

In 1941 Rod won the 1^st Connecticut State Slalom championship and numerous Eastern Alpine races in the 1950s and ‘60s. 1

Rod Aller entered the first National Alpine Championships in 1968 at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, winning three events in Class V: Sl., GS, and Combined. 2

In 1969 Rod took gold in both the SL and GS in Class V at Mad River Glen, Waitsfield, Vt. 3

In 1980 Rod took first in DH, first in SL, third in GS and won the combined trophy at the National Senior Ski Championships held on the Olympic course
at Whiteface Mountain, Lake Placid, NY. edging out Cory Engen and Dave McCoy in Class VII. Competitors came from Canada, France, Austria, Italy and Spain. 4

In 1984 Rod was the National Alpine Champion in his class winning six golds and three silvers at Aspen and Snowmass.
He was selected as the U.S. Alpine Masters Skier of the Year by Ski Racing magazine. 5

In 1985 Rod took firsts in the International Veterans Trophy series held at Killington (SL) and Loon Mt. (GS).
For the year he won ten gold medals in a row in his class, earned the largest-size Sise Cup, the NY DH, the Eastern Championship,
the National Championship and four FIS gold medals. 6

In 1986 Rod (Class VIII) won the USSA Alpine Masters Championships at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in Downhill, Slalom and Giant Slalom. 7

During the 1986 -87 season Rod won 20 of 21 races on the International circuit including nine for nine in Austria, Italy, Switzerland and Spain.
He won in Bad Kleinkircheim, Bormio, Saanen, Bequera Beret, Olympic Valley and Lake Tahoe. 8

As a result he earned the title of “Master Alpine Skier of the Year” in Class VIII for the second year in a row. 9

In January 1987 Rod took SL gold at the International Masters Championships series in the Pyrenees north of Barcelona. 10

In the April 14, 1987 edition of Sports Illustrated Rod was selected to appear in “Faces In The Crowd” with a picture and statement:
“Aller, a 69-year old lawyer, placed first in the downhill, slalom, giant slalom and combined to sweep the 65 – 69 age group events for the second straight year
at the National Alpine Masters skiing championships in Jackson Hole, Wy.”11

In 1987 at age 71 Rod won 13 International Masters Cup races and 20 of 21 races in Eastern and National Masters Competition. 12 12b

In his “Report from Europe – January 1987”, Bob Bernard said, “Rod Aller of Lakeville, CT was the U.S. team standout, gathering nine golds in nine races,
including three in the world criterion series. He totally out classed his competition in his 70-74 age class…” 13

In 1988 Rod, (Class IX), was named again to the U.S. Alpine Masters Ski Team. 14

That same year Ski Racing magazine selected Rod as the U.S. Masters Skier Of The Year
along with Joan Barthold, Nancy Auseklis and Fritz Siegenthaler. This was Rod’s third Skier of The Year award in four years. 15

In 1989 Rod won 1^st Place in the 12^th Annual 70+ Club Championship at Hunter Mountain, New York . 16

On March 22, 1990 Rod won the Volkl Giant Slalom at Sugarloaf, Maine, in Class X. 17

On April 8, 1990 Rod was informed that the National Alpine Masters Committee had selected him as a member of the 1991 U.S. Alpine Masters Ski Team. 18

In 1991 Rod won the Class IX SG and GS at the Masters World Championships at Winter Park, Colorado. 19

In the 1991 – 1992 season Rod was the FIS International Masters Cup Champion in Class IX. He took GS gold at Kossen, AUT; GS gold in Murren SUI;
two SG gold medals and the SL at the Criterium Mondial (Gstaad/Saanen SUI); gold in two GS races (Alpine Meadows, CA);
gold in two SL races (Heavenly Valley, CA). Total FIS points: 175. 20 21

On March 27, 1992 Rod won the Class 11 GS gold medal in the Subaru U.S. Alpine Masters Championships. 22

March 5, 1993 Rod posted the fastest times in the Connecticut Senior Olympic Winter Games in every race
and was the first overall in Nordic and Alpine combined. 23

In 1993 Rod won everything in class at The Subaru U.S. Alpine Masters Championships in Jackson Hole, Wyo.,
by a margin of 8, 10 and 18 seconds. He took the Combined title as well. 24

He was recognized for this achievement by being selected to the 1994 Alpine Masters Team. 25

In the 1994 U.S. National Ski Championships at Big Sky, Montana, Rod won Class 11 gold medals in SL, GS, Downhill and Combined. 26 27

On March 4 -7, 1996 Rod took three golds at Stratton in the International Competition.
At the National Masters Alpine Ski Championships,March 10-16, 1996 at Sunday River, Maine, Rod won all four gold medals. 28 29

In 1997 Rod was selected to the U.S. Alpine Masters Ski Team for the fifth time in nine years. 30

In 1998, Mammoth, CA, Rod was the overall Class XII U.S. Masters National Champion. 31

In 2001 at age 85 Rod won four gold medals in the 14^th World Masters Criterium in Abetone, Italy. 32

In 2002 he was the Mount Gay Rum Sise Cup Champion in Class XII. 33

Lisa Densmore reported on Rod’s performance in the 2003 U.S. Alpine Masters Championships, March 18 – 22 in Park City, Utah, saying,
“In men’s Class 13, Rod Aller proved unstoppable, winning the Super G, then the Slalom and GS as well.
…..the only man in Group D to sweep every event at this year’s nationals.” 34