Hannes Schneider Meister Cup

About

Every year during the first weekend of March, we celebrate the Hannes Schneider Meister Cup Race, honoring the life of the renowned Austrian skimeister whose pioneering ski teaching brought excitement and prosperity to North Conway, NH and St. Anton, Austria and the world of skiing at large.

Hannes Schneider was a mountain soldier on the alpine front in World War I, and his son Herbert and several of his instructors, including Friedl Pfeifer, Toni Matt, Otto Lang, and Luggi Foeger, served in the 10th Mountain Division in World War II. The race pays tribute to several generations of America’s mountain troops, and features the color guard and mountain instructors of the Army Mountain Warfare School of Jericho, Vermont.

If you can turn around a few gates on intermediate terrain on alpine or telemark skis or a snowboard, you are invited to participate in the race…and win! The fastest male and female finishers in ten age groups take home unique awards, as do the fastest telemark, snowboard, and junior racers. Teams of five racers compete for the Meister Cup Trophy, with winners’ names engraved on the award which is on display in the New England Ski Museum.

Competition is intense at the highest level, but for most racers the event is a simple fun run down a gentle racecourse on a day of slopeside pageantry and social events. Past racers have ranged in age from 4 to 95.

But the Meister Cup weekend is more than a race—it is a spectator event as well and features a full slate of weekend social activities including a welcome reception with dinner buffet and live music by the Bavarian Brothers Band, an amazing opening ceremony with Color Guard, the popular vintage ski fashion show, the awards ceremony, a silent auction with awesome ski-related prizes, and a Sunday morning presentation of ski history with renowned ski historians. Whether you race it or watch it, the Meister Cup has something for everyone.

There are many ways to be involved! Come and be a racer, spectator, patron, or sponsor.

The Hannes Schneider Meister Cup is the biggest fundraiser for the New England Ski Museum.

2026 Hannes Schneider Meister Cup: March 13-15, 2026

Event Festivities

Registration as Racer, Racer Guest, or Patron includes:

Friday Night Welcome Reception & Dinner

Torchlight Parade

All-day Lift Ticket per Racer and for certain Patron Levels

Exclusive Meister Cup Enamel Pin

Commemorative Race Bib

Continental Breakfast Saturday & Sunday

Opening Ceremony with Color Guard

Race Day Barbeque Lunch

Après Ski Bratwurst

Awards Ceremony

Vintage Ski Fashion Show

Silent Auction & Museum Shop

Sunday Ski History Presentation and Round-Table Discussion

Racer Information

Race Registration

All information below was for the 2025 Meister Cup event. Check back later this year for 2026 event information.

The race fee is $125/racer or $625/team (five persons) until Feb. 28. On March 1, entry fee increases to $175/person. Max. 250 racers; all receive commemorative cloth bib courtesy of World Cup Supply and all event activities are included.

For more information about the race and to register, go to SkiReg.com (skireg.com/schneider-cup)

Paper Registration forms are available at the Ski Museum. You may fill out and mail, email, or drop off in-person at any museum location.

Racer Guests

Support your favorite ski racer and come to the race! Racer Guests are invited to join all event activities including food (Friday dinner, barbecue lunch, bratwurst, breakfast on Sat & Sun), fashion show entry, silent auction, and ski history presentation for $60. Combo guest tickets include a ski ticket for Cranmore on race day for $125.

To register, please go to skireg.com/schneider-cup

Patron Program

The Meister Cup is more than a ski race—it’s a celebration of the rich heritage of skiing in New England and the Mount Washington Valley. By becoming a Meister Cup Patron, you can play a meaningful role in supporting this fun and amazing event, just as you might sponsor a play, opera or sports team.

Becoming a Patron is perfect if you can’t attend but still want to support the event and the Ski Museum. For those able to join us, you are welcome to all event activities, like watching the opening ceremony, the torchlight parade and the race, a fashion show entry, and the silent auction. Higher Patron levels offer additional benefits such as tickets to the Friday Night Dinner Reception and ski passes for race day.

All donation levels are appreciated, and every Patron’s name will be proudly displayed in the Event Program. Whether you attend or support from afar, you’ll be helping preserve the history and legacy of skiing for generations to come.

To sign up as a Patron, contact Andrea Masters at andrea@nesm.org.

2025 Race Results & Videos & Event Photos

Event Sponsorship

We invite you to support this legacy event and the New England Ski Museum by becoming an event sponsor. Depending on the size of your contribution, you become eligible for an array of benefits.

Sponsorship Levels and Benefits

By sponsoring the Meister Cup, your organization gains visibility across New England and beyond. Your support will be acknowledged in our publications, promotional materials, and on-site at the event. On the next page is a summary of the sponsorship levels and benefits; more detailed descriptions for each individual benefit tier are below.

Benefit	Contributing $500.00	Bronze $1,500	Silver $2,500	Gold $5,000	Platinum $10,000
Business Logo in Promo Material	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Recognition in Ads & Media		✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Logo in Event Program	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Ad in Event Program			1/4-page	1/2-page	1-page
Logo in Museum Journal	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Logo & Link on Museum Website	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Logo on Commemorative Race Bib		✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Business Banner(s) at Event		1	1	2	2
Free Race Team		1 Team	1 Team	1 Team	1 Team
Extra Ski Tickets (Sat.)			2	2	2
Extra Dinner/Lunch Tickets			For 2	For 2	For 2
Hotel Room for 2 (1–2 nights)				1 Room	3 Rooms
Opportunity to Present Award					✔️