Any true fan of the symphony knows that “first chair” is a term of honor that refers to the premier of the musicians playing a particular instrument. That person is seated closest to the audience, takes the lead for that instrument’s movements and plays any solos. For fans of skiing, such as Ira Riklis, “first chair” has another meaning. In that sport, it refers to the first skiers of the morning to catch the lift chairs.
At Vail, for example, the first skiers get on the lifts at 8:15. Officially, all the chairs from that time until those first skiers reach the top and have time to ski back down to the “feeder” lift are considered “first chairs.” But for Ira Riklis, there’s only one first chair—the first one that starts heading upslope at 8:15. And just as the first chair in the symphony gets to play the most, the person on the first chair at the slopes has the chance to ski the most.