Disabled Sports USA (DSUSA) hosts the 23rd annual The Hartford Ski Spectacular Dec. 5-12 at Beaver Run Resort and Breckenridge Ski Resort. The five-day event, sponsored by The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., the founding partner of U.S. Paralympics, is the nation’s largest winter sports festival for those with physical disabilities, planning to bring more than 800 participants ranging in ability from first-time skiers to members of the U.S. Adaptive Ski Team (USAST).
Also attending will be more than 100 wounded warriors and their families. One of the many youths participating will be Ornichleel (Le-all) Ulysse, 10, from Port au Prince, Haiti, who had her right leg amputated below the knee due to an injury in the January earthquake there.
“For the 17th consecutive year, The Hartford is proud to sponsor this important program that’s been a birthplace of U.S. Paralympic champions,” said Ron Gendreau, executive vice president of group benefits at The Hartford. “The Hartford’s Ability Philosophy will be displayed by the wounded warriors learning to ski, youth skiers improving their racing abilities, and U.S. Paralympians demonstrating their elite skills at this amazing event. We hope Le-all and all who hit the slopes at The Hartford Ski Spectacular will be inspired as much as they inspire us. They help us see that people with disabilities can do anything.”
Programs offered at The Hartford Ski Spectacular help to strengthen and expand adaptive ski programs in communities throughout the U.S.; identify and train youth, wounded warriors and others with disabilities who strive to be winter Paralympians; and help local DSUSA chapters improve their services.
A week of ski race training, sponsored by U.S. Paralympics, prepares athletes for the 2011 U.S. Disabled Alpine Ski Championships in Alyeska, Alaska, the 2011 World Championships in Sestriere, Italy, and 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
The ski instructor academy endorsed by Professional Ski Instructors of America-American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI) offers training for instructors in the latest and safest adaptive ski techniques for skiers with disabilities. Learn-to programs in alpine and Nordic skiing, Biathlon, and snowboarding are also offered. Chapter training programs in administration, fundraising, social networking, and volunteer training rounds out the agenda.
The Hartford Ski Spectacular is sponsored by The Hartford. Additional sponsors include U.S. Paralympics, a national partner of DSUSA; Challenged Athletes Foundation; Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center; Breckenridge Ski Resort; Wounded Warrior Project; Professional Ski Instructors of America/American Association of Snowboard Instructors, United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs; Team Semper Fi; United States Biathlon; Breckenridge Sports; DSUSA host chapter Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center; and supporting chapters National Sports Center for the Disabled, Stride, New England Disabled Sports, AbilityPlus, Inc., Adaptive Adventures, and National Ability Center.
Follow the action at The Hartford Ski Spectacular on Twitter and Facebook. Look for @DisabledSportUS and #skispec on Twitter and Disabled Sports USA on Facebook, as well as @TheHartford on Twitter and Facebook.
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