Media Alert

  Send-Off Event for Team USA Athletes from Montana

Heading to 2009 World Winter Games in Idaho

(Great Falls, MT) Special Olympics Montana, a 38 year-old movement that enables children and adults with intellectual disabilities to train and compete in sports, will host a Press Conference at the Special Olympics Montana State Office, located at 710 1st Ave North, Great Falls, Montana, on Wednesday, February 4th at 6:30 p.m.

This press conference will feature an exciting "Send-Off Party" as Special Olympics Montana celebrates the departure of Special Olympics Montana athletes and coaches for Team USA as they begin their journey to compete in the 2009 World Winter Games in Boise Idaho. Special Olympics Montana is proudly sending four athletes to the games.  Kelly Nichols of Bozeman and Chris Zier of Missoula will each compete in alpine skiing.  Montana Riehle of Great Falls will compete in cross country skiing and Rich Potter of Missoula will compete in snowshoeing. In addition, two coaches from Montana were selected to be a part of Team USA . Chuck Kohut, Special Olympics Montana coach from Great Falls has been selected to serve as an assistant cross country skiing coach and Vanessa Browning, Special Olympics Montana coach from Billings has been selected to serve as an assistant alpine coach.

About the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games:

The 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held in Idaho, USA, 7-13 February 2009. Nearly 2,500 athletes from more than 100 countries are expected to compete.  Surpassing the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games in athlete numbers and participating nations, the World Winter Games will be the largest multi-day winter sporting event ever held in Idaho.  Competition will take place in seven winter sports – Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Figure Skating, Floor Hockey, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing and Speed Skating. Competition and other activities will take place in communities and venues throughout Idaho including, but not limited to, Boise, Sun Valley and McCall.  For more information, visit www.2009WorldGames.org. 

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About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and without intellectual disabilities. Through year-round sports training and athletic competition and other related programming for 1.4 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities in more than 150 countries, Special Olympics has created a model community that celebrates people's diverse gifts. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship. There is no cost to participate in Special Olympics. Visit Special Olympics, Incorporated online at www.specialolympics.org