Today at the World Winter Games – March 19
Tutsch Claims Bronze, McCormick Fourth in First Competition Day
One day after a thrilling opening ceremony, competition got underway in earnest for Kentucky skiers Patrick Tutsch of Lexington and Kelly McCormick of Louisville. Both had their first shots at medals today in the final of the Super G in Rohrmoos, Austria.
Tutsch guaranteed that he’d bring home at least one medal from his first trip to the World Winter Games, claiming a bronze in his very first event in Austria today. He finished his heat of the Super G in 3:28.95 to place third behind Cameron Jarvis of New Zealand and Olaf Guttek of Germany.
McCormick, who is competing in her third World Winter Games, missed medaling by the narrowest of margins in her first event in Austria today. She shaved more than two seconds off her preliminary time to finish her division of the Super G in 2:00.00, less than a second behind bronze medalist Rebecca Heath of New Zealand. Chiara Anghileri of Italy won the gold and McCormick’s Special Olympics USA teammate Nicole Schilling took the silver.
The Super G was the first of three events for both skiers this week. They will also compete in the slalom and giant slalom at the Games. Both will ski the giant slalom preliminary tomorrow.
Follow Patrick and Kelly throughout the Games on the Special Olympics Kentucky Facebook page, or on our Twitter feed.
The 2017 World Winter Games are bringing together more than 2,500 athletes from 170 countries. This is the second time that Austria has hosted the World Games, making it only the third city ever to host the Special Olympics World Games more than once. Schladming, Austria, which is also serving as a host site this year, hosted the 1993 Winter Games. Chicago hosted the first two Special Olympics World Games in 1968 and 1970. Los Angeles hosted the World Summer Games in 1972 and again in 2015.
For more information about Kentucky’s athletes at the World Winter Games, contact Mark Buerger, Special Olympics Kentucky Director of Communications and External Relations at 502-695-8222 or via e-mail at [email protected].