WILMINGTON — The annual Hovey Memorial Ski Race will take place on Feb. 12 at Whiteface Mountain. This year’s event, which will be hosted by the New York Ski Educational Foundation, marks the 60th anniversary of this competition named for Lake Placid resident Wiliam A. Hovey.

The inaugural William A. Hovey Ski Race was organized by the Lake Placid Ski Club and Sno Birds and held at Mount Whitney in 1963 in Hovey’s honor after he died. Tracey Hovey, William’s daughter, continues to honor her father’s legacy by handing out awards to the winners yearly.

“I don’t know of any other races that actually have this kind of history,” Tracey Hovey said in a statement. “For some reason, it had a lot of momentum from the beginning and it means the world to all of us Hoveys!”

Tracey added that all of her kids share the same middle name, Hovey.

“I’ve always had a strong feeling about my name, it was my only real connection to my dad … so I always wanted to keep it and ensure that it won’t be forgotten,” she said.

Open to U12 and U14 ski racers, “the Hovey” as it is known, gathers young racers from across the Northeast to compete. For some racers, it helped launched their ski careers, including two-time Olympic medalist Andrew Weibrecht of Lake Placid.

This year will be the first-ever Hovey Family Fun Race on Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Bear Den area of Whiteface Mountain from 2:30-4 p.m. After the fun race will be a cocktail reception hosted by NYSEF and the Hovey Family at Bear Den Lodge’s Growlers Grill from 3:30-6 p.m.