The Vail Valley Foundation (VVF) will honor the life and legacy of John Dakin during the 2025 Stifel Birds of Prey Men’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup. The celebration will take place on Thursday, December 4th, at approximately 10:15 a.m., just before the national anthem preceding the men’s downhill race at John & Karen Arnold Red Tail Stadium. Dakin, who passed away in April, was instrumental in bringing world-class ski racing to Vail and Beaver Creek and served as the VVF’s Chief of Media for the 1989, 1999, and 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships. For decades prior to his retirement in 2015, John was the voice of the VVF, combining his exceptional journalism skills with an encyclopedic knowledge of ski racing and an unwavering passion for the sport.
“John Dakin was there from the very beginning, helping to build Birds of Prey from the ground up and create the world-class course and event it is today,” said Mike Imhof, President of the VVF. “His impact on our organization, on this community, and on the ski racing world cannot be overstated. John’s passion and expertise played a pivotal role in establishing Beaver Creek as a premier venue in alpine ski racing and as an international ski destination. It is only fitting that we honor him during the event he worked so hard to elevate and that meant so much to him throughout his remarkable career.”
The tribute on December 4th will include a short video celebrating John’s life and contributions, and remarks from community members who knew and loved John. The public is encouraged to attend Thursday’s downhill race to join in celebrating John’s extraordinary life and contributions to ski racing.
