Rancho Bernardo resident, 77, finds thrill in downhill ski racing

By Michael Bower

Most people on the verge of turning 78-years-old have already exchanged their active hobbies in for something a little less strenuous on the body.

But not Rancho Bernardo resident Joseph Divjak. He is full speed ahead with his passion.

The native of Slovenia, who turns 78 in June, has been downhill ski racing since he was 65 and he has no plans to stop anytime soon. In fact, in order to be able to hit the slopes each year, Divjak works hard to keep his body in tip-top shape.

“I am going to ski as long as the almighty will let me,” said Divjak, who has owned a place in Deer Valley, Utah, for 19 years along with a home in Rancho Bernardo. “One thing that drives my exercise program on a daily basis is the skiing. I am forced to exercise so I can be in shape to go in the 10,000-feet elevation to race against these other fine ladies and gentlemen.”

Divjak has been skiing his entire life, but it wasn’t until the age of 65 that he started competitively racing. Up to that point, Divjak, who served in the U.S. Army from 1953-1956 and was part of the U.S. Army Ski Patrol in Germany, only skied recreationally.

“I was always intrigued to go down faster than I did as a recreational skier,” Divjak said. “The first time I tried the race course, I went really slow. Then the next time I went faster and then they started giving out medals for each age bracket and I got really fired up.”

Divjak was especially fired up in late March when he took home a silver medal at the Nastar National Championships at Winter Park Resort in Winter Park, Colorado. He finished in second place in the 75-80-year-old male division. He weaved his way through the some 800-foot course in 36.24 seconds. The winner finished in 32.52 and the third-place finisher came in at 36.6.

It was the third time Divjak raced in the national championships. He won his only gold medal in 2008 in the 70-75-year-old male division. Competition certainly drives Divjak, but like most avid skiers it is the speed that gives him the biggest thrill.

“It is the exhilaration of speed,” said Divjak, who owns Astro Paper Converters in San Marcos. The 42-year-old company brings high-quality paper from the U.S. and Europe and cuts it to special sizes for restaurant menus, business cards and other things. “You feel like you are flying like a bird. It is the sensation of speed that I think drives all skiers; and you are off in the beautiful mountains.”

Divjak is married to Patricia Divjak, 63. She started skiing at the age of 39.

“She is a little on the cautious side when skiing,” Joseph said. “I am the reckless one.”

The two have five children — none together — and all of them are skiers. They also have seven grandchildren and five of them ski.

“We are all together quite a bit,” Joseph said. “Every winter we go stay at our place (in Utah) and ski.”