[Sportsandrec] Fw: Winter Ski Festival Kicks Off This Weekend!

[Christella Garcia]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: U.S. Association of Blind Athletes 
To: Christella Garcia 
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 9:43 AM
Subject: Winter Ski Festival Kicks Off This Weekend!




Second Annual Winter Ski Festival Kicks Off This Weekend

Blind and Visually Impaired Skiers including military service members and veterans with eye injuries take to the slopes in Vermont 
  
The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is proud to host the Second Annual Winter Ski Festival to be held in Killington, Vt., Fri., Jan. 16 through Sun. Jan 18.  Athletes with visual impairment will be given the opportunity to learn to ski or learn to race in the sports of alpine and nordic skiing, while also spending an enjoyable weekend in the Green Mountains of Vermont.  

In collaboration with Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sport (VASS), the Gibney Family Foundation and U.S. Paralympics, USABA is once again proud to offer this recreational opportunity which is open to all ages and all abilities.  Whether a first-time skier or competitive racer, the festival is catered to each athlete’s ability. 

"USABA is extremely pleased to partner with VASS and U.S. Paralympics to provide a wonderful opportunity for blind and visually impaired skiers including military service members and veterans with eye injuries to further develop and enhance their Alpine and Nordic skiing skills,” said Mark Lucas, USABA’s executive director.   “We are also excited to partner with the NE Chapter of the National Association of Parents of the Visually Impaired (NAPVI) who will bring their children to participate in the ski programs while parents conduct support meetings to share information and resources for their children."

Guides and instructors are provided by VASS, a non-profit organization located in Vermont, which is committed to empowering individuals with disabilities.  VASS staff will pair each blind and visually impaired skier with a trained ski guide to practice and learn skills in either genre of learn to ski or race.  

The weekend will conclude with a banquet dinner held at the Killington Grand Hotel featuring key-note speaker and two-time Paralympic medalist, Rob Walsh.  Walsh won gold in Nordic skiing in the 15 km classic in 1988 in Innsbruck (4th in 30 km classic) and bronze in the 10 km classic in 1992 in Albertville.  Accompanying Walsh is Paralympic mono-skier, Lacey Lilly.  Both Paralympians will be joining the following attendees on the slopes on Saturday:
            
Aaron Rawley – Hudson, Mass.
Austin Shepherd – Ann Arbor, Mich.  
Christian Cruz – Anna, Texas
Dennis Gallant – Bloomfield, Conn. 
Emma Meyer – Morris, Ill. 
Jacob Pine – Pocasset, Mass.
Jim Deagan – Lynn, Mass. 
John Morgan – Adelphi, Md.
Jonathon Taylor – Round Rock, Texas
Judy Hansen – Brooklyn, N.Y.
Kristine Heist – Newark, Del. 
Lewis Burdette – Myton, Utah
Linda Goodspeed – Rutland, Vt.
Matthew Simpson – Smyrna, Ga. 
Sam Robson – West Port, Conn.
Sara Mornis – Reading, Vt.
Tina Kurys – Brookline, Mass.
Victor Gurganious – Fayetteville, N.C.   

Alpine skiing will be hosted at Pico Ski Resort in Killington, VT.; while Nordic will be at Mountain Top Inn in Chittenden, VT.  

This event will also be hosted as a Paralympic Academy.  Local Paralympic Academy events serve as an introduction to Paralympic sport and allow participants to try different activities.  This year, all participants will be introduced to the Paralympic sport of goalball during the weekend.

For more information contact:   
Mark Lucas at USABA at: (719) 630-0422 or 
Donna Stanley at VT Adaptive: (802) 353-7584

Since its founding in 1976, USABA, a community-based organization of the United States Olympic Committee, has reached more than 100,000 blind and visually impaired individuals. The organization has emerged as more than just a world-class trainer of blind athletes, it has become a champion of the abilities of Americans who are legally blind. USABA’s Mission: to enhance the lives of blind and visually impaired people by providing the opportunity for participation in sports and physical activity.  For more information, visit our Web site: www.usaba.org