Kentucky World Games Athletes Head to Camp in December
Special Olympics USA Team Training Camp One of Final Steps on Road to Austria
The two Kentucky athletes who will compete as part of the Special Olympics USA team at the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria will spend part of their December taking part in the team training camp. Alpine skiers Kelly McCormick of Louisville and Patrick Tutsch of Lexington will leave for the camp in Killington, Vt., on Sunday, Jan. 11, along with Special Olympics USA ski coach and longtime Special Olympics Kentucky Winter Games volunteer Jimmie Johnson.
The three will leave for Killington Resort on Dec. 11, train with the team from Dec. 12-15 and return to Louisville on Dec. 16. The goal of the camp is to give athletes some additional time on snow, give them a chance to meet teammates and to meet and adjust to the Special Olympics USA team coaches.
Training camp one of the last steps for the three Kentuckians chosen as part of the Special Olympics USA team. The three will participate in the Special Olympics Kentucky State Winter Games Jan. 22-24 at Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, Ind. McCormick and Tutsch will compete in alpine skiing at the Advanced Plus level and Johnson will once again serve as the official course setter.
McCormick and Tutsch were recently recognized for their World Games selection as part of the program at the Sneaker Ball gala in Louisville.
You can help support Kelly and Patrick’s trip to the World Winter Games by making a contribution in support of their efforts at http://2017worldwintergames.kintera.org/.
The 2017 World Winter Games will be held March 14-25 in Graz, Schladming, Ramsau and Styria, Austria. They will bring together more than 2,700 athletes from 107 nations to compete in alpine and cross country skiing, snowshoeing, figure skating, speed skating, floorball, floor hockey, snowboarding and stick shooting. This will be the second time that Schaldming has hosted the World Winter Games. Along with Salzburg, it was one of the first ever cities outside North America to host a Special Olympics World Games when it welcomed the Winter Games in 1993.
For more information about the 2017 World Winter Games or how you can support the Kentucky athletes competing, contact Trish Mazzoni at 502-695-8222 or [email protected].