Early Years
Despite their very similar appearance and according to the delivering physician, the Mahre twins are fraternal rather than identical twins. Phil, Steve, and their seven siblings (four older, three younger) literally grew up at a ski area; in 1964, their father Dave "Spike" Mahre became the mountain manager for the White Pass ski area, 50 miles (80 km) west of Yakima on US-12, where they moved into a home near the base of the lifts.
By the age of 12, the Mahre twins' future was so promising that ski manufacturers sent them free skis, and the next year Rossignol tried to sign them to a career-long contract, which their father declined. Eventually they would use skis made by an American company, K2, throughout their career. K2 was located on Vashon Island, just west of Seattle, a few hours northwest of White Pass. The Mahre twins would work extensively with the company throughout their careers, developing custom race skis ideally suited to their needs.
Read more about this topic: Phil Mahre
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or years:
“In the true sense one’s native land, with its background of tradition, early impressions, reminiscences and other things dear to one, is not enough to make sensitive human beings feel at home.”
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940)
“For my people lending their strength to the years: to the gone
years and the now years and the maybe years, washing ironing cooking scrubbing sewing mending hoeing plowing digging planting pruning patching dragging along never gaining never reaping never knowing and never understanding;”
—Margaret Abigail Walker (b. 1915)