THE QUESTION: Should there be an open in skiing as there is in golf?

ROLAND PALMEDO
Honorary president
Amateur Ski Club of N.Y.
New York City
In America amateurs only are eligible for amateur competition. In Europe, amateurs and open-class competitors are eligible. I'm in favor of competition with the open class to help develop our amateurs, but only if there are plenty of championships limited to amateurs.

J. LYMAN BINGHAM
Executive Director
U.S. Olympic Association
New York City
Amateurs may compete against the open class but never against athletes who compete for money, as is permitted in golf. If the FIS ever approved the latter, the Olympic Committee might drop skiing. Golf is not an Olympic event, so it has no such problem.

EVERETT KIRCHER
Owner, ski resort
Boyne Mountain
Mich.
I've advocated an open for three years. People want to watch the pros. We'd get a lot more interest if we had them in addition to the amateurs. I've offered $5,000 for an open, but we do not have a PGA setup to administer it. We first must organize a pro circuit.

RED ROLFE
Athletic Director
Dartmouth College
Hanover, N.H.
Since there are few ski colleges, there are not enough amateurs who get enough skiing time to be able to compete seriously against professionals. A ski open would be all pro. Since skiing is a pleasant pastime, I think that the Olympics should be the goal of the amateur.

STEIN ERIKSEN
Olympic gold medal winner
Aspen, Colo.
Yes. A month ago a group got together and elected Steve Knowlton, former American Champion, our temporary president. Present were Friedl Pfeifer, Dick Durrance, Pete Seibert, Fred Iselin and I. Our committee is sending letters about an open to important skiers.

WILLY SCHAEFFLER
Assistant technical director for ski events
1960 Winter Olympics
Squaw Valley, Calif.
I don't think a ski open could support itself. If it could, I would favor it. In Europe everyone favors an open, but no one puts up the money. Look at Stein Eriksen. After winning Olympic and FIS gold medals, the only thing open to him is an instructor's job. It's too bad.

PEDER PYTTE
Acting ski coach
University of Denver
Denver
No, not in national championships. There are open meets now which I favor, but they should not be on a national scale. I feel it wouldn't be right to open any of the existing and long-standing amateur championships to professionals.

BEN VAN SANT
Ski industry consultant
Minneapolis
Very definitely. There's no future for top skiers now. What is there ahead for Bud Werner if he wins a world championship? Pros like Hogan and Snead have done wonders for golf. Ski pros could do the same for skiing.

ROBERT P. BOOTH
Chairman, USEASA
Amateur Rules Committee
Manchester, N.H.
We have it now. Such competition is good for amateur sport. But the pro cannot compete for money under the rules of the FIS, which governs open-class racing. The money question is strictly for the FIS to decide.

EDWIN D. EATON
Past president
National Ski Association
West Hartford, Conn.
No. The amateur is not in the same class with the open competitor. The FIS has a world's ski championship, and open-class competitors are allowed. We have such an event, but the amateurs and pros are listed separately.

J. STANLEY MULLIN
U.S. Representative
International Eligibility Committee
Los Angeles
No. The number of participants would be less and the number of spectators greater, as in baseball. I like to see people ski and have no objection to pros competing where it does not interfere with the growth of skiing at the base.

TWELVE PHOTOS