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An Interview with Tyler Walker
.
Dec 14 2005
AGE: 19
NATIONALITY: U.S.A.
PROFESSION: STUDENT
DISCIPLINA: ALPINE SKIING
THE START OF HIS AGONISTIC CAREER: 2003
BEST RESULTS: IPC 2005 World Cup Kimberley, B.C.: Super G: 1st place (Sitting) IPC 2005 World Cup Finals Klosters, Switzerland :Downhill: 6th place, Super G: 6th place , GS: 4th place (Sitting)
How old are you and where do you live?
I am 19 years old and I live in Franconia, New Hampshire.
Why did you start a sporting activity?
I started Alpine Skiing because there is a ski area in my town called Cannon Mountain. I loved the thrill of speed and the freedom that skiing gave me that I could not have in any other aspect of my life.
What do you think about sport? Is it for you an entertainment or a work?
My sport is my life and everything about me revolves around skiing. Alpine skiing is one of the most dangerous, fastest, and hardest to master of most sports and for those reasons I appreciate it more than anything. At my level, alpine skiing is becoming more like a job because I have to meet certain requirements and expectations at every race to be able to continue my career. However, I have a huge amount of fun with everything to do with skiing that it is hard for me to say that skiing
You are always around the world to train and compete, what do you like of this kind of life?
Skiing competitively has given me many opportunities to see many parts of the world and the different cultures that go along with those areas. The skiing lifestyle means many different things in other parts of the world and I consider my travels to be very valuable. I have fun wherever my skiing takes me and I love the level of competition at the international level. Every year there are more and more competitors that could easily break top ten or so and it keeps me constantly striving to be the best.
In your competitive career you have obtained many victories, now what are your motivations that push you to compete again?
I still have a goal of being number one in the world, so that is a great motivation. When I am number one, the competition will never stop because there will be hundreds of other guys trying to kick me off my future throne. Competition is mostly about striving to be number one, but an important, however small part it may seem to be, is to have fun at what you are doing. I love the thrill of just skiing as fast as I want down a course just because I have fun doing it.
What are your aims for the future and for the next Paralympic Games?
In the future I would like to finish college while continuing to ski race. The paralympics are approaching and I need to be in top condition as well as pass my classes. At the paralympics I plan to give everything that I have to show the world that I am one of the best, if not the best.
Do you think that Paralympic games can be a good opportunity to talk about disabilities and awaken the public opinion towards this problem?
I think that the paralympic games are a great opportunity to talk about disabilities and the wonderful life and freedoms that people can enjoy despite what physical limitations they may have. I do not think disabilities are a problem: it is not our fault that we have a disability, I think there is a huge problem with the public view about disabilities. Most places around the world are not accessible and many people think that people with disabilities are enough of a minority that they do not have to worry about them. However, I have a disability and I have far more influence over the international community than the vast majority of people will ever hope have. The public needs to see that we are just people, the only difference being is that we use different equipment and different means to go about our lives.
Do you have a message to people with disabilities that would like to begin a sporting activity?
You are not disabled, you just use different ways to go about the functions of life. Sports are no different. You can participate in any sport that you want, you just need the imagination to adapt so that you can participate on an even level with everyone else.
Valentina Roberto
An Interview with Carmen Garcia
.
Dec 6 2005
AGE: 31
NATIONALITY’: SPANISH
PROFESSION: JOURNALIST
DISCIPLINA: ALPINE SKIING
THE START OF HER AGONISTIC CAREER: 1999
COACH: LAURA ZAPATER
BEST RESULTS: 5TH PLACE IN THE DOWNHILL AT THE PARALYMPICS OF SALT LAKE 2002 SILVER IN THE DOWNHILL AT THE 2001 WORLD CUP (SALT LAKE CITY)
Hi, Carmen, how old are you and where do you live?
I’m 31, and I Live in Barcelona.
How did you begin practising Alpine Skiing?
At first, I was a bit hesitant, but one of my friends insisted that I should give it a try, and when I did I understood that it was the most enjoyable sport that I had ever practised.
Thanks to skiing, you’ve been able to take part in some unique events, like, for example, the Paralympics of Salt Lake City, what emotions do you remember about those moments?
Taking part in the Paralympics was a really unique occasion for me, and my feelings are impossible to describe. The World Cup races, too, held at Wildschonau in 2004, gave me tremendous satisfaction, especially because I won a marvellous second place in the giant slalom.
Besides skiing, what are your other big interests?
I’m a journalist, so I work in the world of communications. I am also a football coach, and in my free time, I love travelling, writing and dancing.
Looking ahead to the future, what are your hopes for the competitions of the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games?
I hope to win at least one medal, I’ve done a lot of training to get ready for this event, and I think I can hope for a place on the podium.
What are you expecting from the public at the Paralympics?
I'm sure there’ll be a lot of people watching, and for us athletes with different abilities, it will be an opportunity to show the world that often it is society itself that creates our difficulties. As for the problems connected to disabilities, they could be easily overcome with adequate resources.
Sport connected to the world of disabilities, what's your opinion on this subject?
I believe sport is, and must be, for everyone; in fact, sports activities can be lived at all levels and not only in a competitive way. So, I think it’s indispensable to give everybody the chance to live this extraordinary world.
A interview with Orazio Fagone
.
Nov 14 2005
How and when did you approach competitive sports?
I began when I was 4 years old with speed roller-skating. I’ve always been attracted by speed and I understood right from the start that this was my world. I fell in love with this sport and later approached the universe of Short Track.
You were Olympic champion in 1994 at Lillehammer in Short Track. After your accident in 1997, you shifted to Curling, a discipline, which at a first seems more “tranquil”, but that requires a lot of training; how much time do you dedicate to training?
It's a discipline that certainly gives you more time to think, but only constant training will bring good final results. I dedicate about 10 hours each week to refine my technique and to study new strategies, but the time I have available is never enough.
What are your objectives for the upcoming Paralympic Games of Torino 2006?
I hope, but without shouting it too loudly, to win a medal. For me, in fact, it would be an excellent target, that would crown a very satisfying sports career. In any case, the important thing is to do your best and make on a good impression.
Do you think the Paralympics of Torino 2006 might be a good opportunity to attract more attention to sports for the disabled?
I am convinced of this; they are going to be very exciting races, and they’ll draw the public's interest. There’s no doubt that it will be an excellent occasion to talk about this world, but let's not forget that the Paralympics are also the chance for sports lovers to see in action athletes with extraordinary abilities.
What advice would you give disabled persons who would like to begin practising a sports activity?
Simply to dedicate themselves with full tranquillity to the sport, and to believe fully in their capacities, without placing any limits.
What has favoured you most in taking up sports activities and what, on the other hand, has created the greatest problems?
I believe, in my case, that I was simply born for sports, and this has always made it easier for me to reach good results in different disciplines. Nothing creates problems for me if we’re speaking of sports, but if you really want to know …, I don't like the long journeys.
An interview with Michael Milton, winner of 4 Paralympic titles
.
Nov 4 2005
Hi Michael, how old are you and where do you live?
I’m 32 years old and I live in Canberra. Why did you start a sporting activity? I always loved to ski. My father was a ski patroller in Thredbo and my parents had their honeymoon at a ski resort. They passed their love for the sport to me. What do you think about sport? Is it for you an entertainment or a work? Sport is a career. I love to participate in many sports and I am very lucky that I can make a living from sport so it is both entertainment and work.
You are always around the world to train and compete, what do you like of this kind of life?
There are many things I like about my lifestyle. I come from Australia so I spent up to 6 Months a year training and competing in the northern hemisphere. The travel is very rewarding as I get to meet many people, experience different cultures as well as get away from the hot Australian summer.
In your competitive career you have obtained many victories, now what are your motivations that push you to compete again?
I want to ski the perfect race. Of course this is never possible but it keeps me pushing my limits.
What are your aims for the future and for the next Paralympic Games?
My goal for the Games is to come home with a medal around my neck. I think that the Paralympic games have a lot to offer as a stand alone event. This is proven every time the games happen and the whole paralympic movement is going ahead so quickly. My goals for the future are to find my limit speed skiing and feel like at the end of my career that I have skied a good run in good conditions. April 2003 in France, Michael tried
In April 2003 you tried something new, the speed skiing ,the drag racing of alpine sport, why did you begin it?
I saw the old World Record in the Guinness book of records and thought it looked like fun.
What are your emotions when you ski so fast?
It is definitely scary. But I love to ski fast and it suits my personality. It is like being on a rollercoaster for the first time scary and fun at the same time. But the risks are very real and you have to make sure you minimise the risks with thorough preparation.
When do you try to break the Australian’s record of 212,26km/hr?
I plan to try and break my current World Record (210,40km/hr) and the Australian record in April 2006 in Les Arc France.
Valentina Roberto
Sparks of Passion in Norwegian Ice Sledge Hockey
Norway's Helge Bjornstad, left, is kissed by his girlfriend Kathrine Bolstad after he asked her to marry him at the end of the ice sledge hockey match between Norway and Italy
Mar 12 2006
The not very fortunate debut of the Italian national team at the Paralympic Winter Games will be remembered also for the curious and “romantic” unplanned event, which, at the end of the match, was witnessed by the numerous audience present on the stands.
After the usual goodbyes exchanged by players before leaving the rink, the Norwegian striker Helge Bjornstad addressed a girl sitting on the stands and invited her to come down. This would probably have been enough to make people remember about the match in a special way, but the surprise was not yet over.
At this point, the player got off his own sledge, knelt down before her and, while handing out a bunch of flowers, said something to her that did not appear to be clear at first.
However, given that the girl subsequently put her arms around him (later, her name would have become known, Chatrine), all the spectators realised that they had just witnessed an incredibly original wedding proposal and clapped their hands in what became a deafening ovation.
We don’t yet know the details of this story (and perhaps it’s better like this), but this episode is yet another confirmation of the truthfulness of one the mottos symbolising this Olympic period: “Passion lives here”. A slogan that fits the bill like no other.
Silvia Bruno
http://www.paralympicgames.torino2006.org/ENG/ParalympicGames/news/news_ita117125.html
ALL THE WINNERS ~~ Select by event, date, nation, or ALL
http://www.paralympicgames.torino2006.org/ENG/ParalympicGames/sport_ed_atleti/tutti_i_vincitori.html
Competition facilities
http://www.paralympicgames.torino2006.org/ENG/ParalympicGames/photogallery/gallery_15_1.html
La Presse - Sestriere Borgata - View of the Olympic Village
La Presse - Cesana San Sicario - View of the Biathlon facility
La Presse - Pinerolo - View of the interior of the Curling rink in Pinerolo
Alpine Skiing: The Medals In the Sitting and Blind Downhill
US Laurie Stephens skies on her way to win a gold medal in the women's sitting skiing race at the Turin 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Sestriere, northern Italy, Sunday, March 12, 2006
Mar 12 2006
A very technical slope proved difficult for the Sitting and Blind category athletes competing this morning in the downhill race in Sestriere Borgata.
The limelight today went to the American team thanks to the two gold medals in the Sitting category gained by Kevin Bramble and Laurie Stephens, and the second place obtained by Christopher Devlin-Young among the Sitting athletes.
A good performance among the ladies was given by Silvia Parente among the Blind, the Italian coming third behind Austrian Sabine Gasteiger and French veteran Pascale Casanova. The happiness for this unexpected medal transpired from the words of the Italian athlete “I didn’t think I had a chance for the podium, I usually feel more at ease in the Super-G or Giant Slalom, because I am scared of the speed”.
And to confirm her words, guide Lorenzo Migliari said “Bronze? A real surprise. Let’s hope this result stimulates all the other Italians in the Paralympic team”. Parente’s result is even more valuable seeing as she was beaten by two real champs in the Blind category, in particular the winner Pascale Casanova, leader in the previous Salt Lake City 2002 and Nagano 1998 Paralympics, commenting this new affirmation “I came to Torino with my guide Benedicte Sainas to get heavy medals, let’s hope we win some more and have fun”.
Among the Blind men the Victory of German Gerd Gradwohl was clean cut, beating the Canadian Chris Williamson and Frenchman Nicolas Berejny; Italians just missed the podium with Gianmaria Dal Maistro and guide Tommaso Balasso coming only fifth. As said, in the Sitting category the US team is raking in medals, with Kevin Bramble and Christopher Devlin-Young, both satisfied with the race and track difficulty “This difficult track brought out my technical skills” explained Kevin, whilst his team mate added “A perfect track, a warm public, a fantastic resort: this is the best medal of my long career”.
A few hundredths behind Devlin-Young came French Denis Barbet, commenting “Third place is an indescribable joy, I knew I was fit, but not for a medal”. Best among the Italians is Fabrizio Zardini, with his eight place. Among the women, the second American victory was delivered by Laurie Stephens who beat order the Japanese Kuniko Obinata and Austrian Claudia Loesch.
Tomorrow, rendezvous with Alpine Skiing at 11 with the Super-G, Standing category.
Valentina Roberto
Melania Corradini: Betrayed by Her Emotions
Melania Corradini
Mar 11 2006
Sixth place in the downhill for Melania Corradini, the Italian hope that has perhaps been betrayed by her emotions or, as she herself admits it, by the adrenaline rush of the Opening Ceremony during which she carried the Italian flag in front of 30thousand excited people and the President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.
“Last night – says the nineteen-year-old from Cles – I didn’t get a wink of sleep. I was still thinking about the celebration at the stadium, all those people clapping, a breath-taking show. At the start, I was afraid of walking into the stadium, I thought about running away, then I plucked up the courage and I entered in a hurry. And in the end, I didn’t want to leave that stadium: it was the best day of my life".
The small competitive disappointment is then cast aside. "I committed some mistakes in the curves in the final part – she explains – it’s a shame because the ski run was perfect, thanks to the work of the volunteers who fixed it after yesterday’s snowfall. I had some troubles in the icy parts – the skier from Trento continues – I still have to improve in order to face the top level competitions in the best way. I will have to make do: this is my first great competitive experience. And, whatever the outcome is, I will always remember the exciting Opening Ceremony and the extraordinary warmth from the audience".
Melania, who is attending the scientific-tourism high school Des Ambrois, cannot use her left arm. She has been skiing since the age of six, but her mother convinced her to try competing only when she was 15. Her experience at the Paralympic Winter Games will continue in the next few days: on Monday, she will be competing in the super-G, three days later she will be involved in the giant and in the slalom on Saturday, March 18.
Skiing blind
Visually impaired alpine skier Chris Williamson (back) and guide Bobby Taylor
have skied together since the fall of 2004.
(Photo: Andre Springer).
By Jesse Campigotto
cbc.ca
World-class ski racing is a tricky business. Even assuming one ignores the example of Bode Miller and arrives at the mountain with a clear head, there are myriad obstacles to navigate on the way down those steep slopes.
Tricky turns, icy patches and pesky snowfalls lurk at every turn, not to mention speeds that can exceed 100 km/h. It's often all a guy can do to get himself down the hill in one piece.
But, what if the guy also has to worry about making sure another man made it down the hill, too? And what if one of them is blind?
Such is the challenge Canadian Paralympic alpine skier Chris Williamson and guide Bobby Taylor will face at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy. If history is any indication, though, the pair shouldn't have much trouble.
Taylor, an able-bodied 31-year-old Vancouver native, and Williamson, a 33-year-old resident of Markham, Ont., who is completely blind in his right eye and has only six per cent vision in his left, head to Turin on the heels of a magical season. The pair reached the podium in all 11 World Cup races they entered en route to capturing the 2005-06 slalom, giant slalom, super-G and overall titles.
Williamson and Taylor were among the favourites in the downhill, too, but the season's only scheduled race was wiped out by weather before it could be completed.
In Turin, the team is aiming for a medal in each of the four disciplines and Williamson says a victory in alpine skiing's marquee event would be especially sweet.
"Being from Canada, everyone wants to win the downhill," he says. "It's like winning the 100-metre sprint. It's the highlight of the Paralympics."
They make it look easy, but what Williamson and Taylor accomplish when they cross the finish line ahead of an increasingly talented field of international competitors is incredibly difficult.
Here's how it works: Taylor, who skis slightly ahead of Williamson, uses a two-way voice system in the skiers' helmets to bark instructions to the blind skier on how to handle the snow-covered slope ahead of him.
By the time Williamson and Taylor hit the course on race day they've taken several practice runs and Williamson has memorized the course. Still, Taylor's role is essential during competition as he warns his partner of any unexpected obstacles that have crept up in the meantime.
Williamson helps his guide, too. Despite his perfect vision, Taylor can't see the trailing Williamson, who must notify his guide every time he passes a gate, lest Taylor get too far out in front. Staying together is no mean feat, especially in the downhill where speeds exceed highway speed limits. If Taylor doesn't cross the finish line, Williamson's time doesn't count.
As suggested by the slew of titles they won this season, Williamson and Taylor have become perhaps the finest Paralympic alpine skiing team in the world. Part of the reason for their success, they say, is their friendship off the course.
"We spend a lot of time together," Taylor says. "We're always roommates whenever we're at a hotel. I don't know if Chris is getting tired of me by now or not."
While some other pairs only come together for competitions, Taylor believes that a close relationship between teammates is crucial to excellence in the sport.
"You can have two technically good skiers, but to really work together well and gel as a team it takes a bit extra," he says. "Alpine skiing is an individual sport. But in blind alpine skiing, it's more of a team sport. To have that team rapport and communication is very important."
Williamson and Taylor have been building that rapport since the fall of 2004, when Williamson was searching for a ski racer willing, and good enough, to guide him.
"One year I went through four guides," Williamson says. "I had one guide that tore his knee apart, then the next guy threw out his back after four races so I had to use a German coach for one race."
As if finding a guide with the requisite skills wasn't difficult enough, Williamson also had to find someone he could connect with on a personal level.
"You can have a great skier but if your personalities don't match then it probably will show on the hill," he says.
Enter the affable Taylor, an elite skier who had raced on the NCAA circuit while attending the University of Alaska Anchorage. After hearing from a Canadian coach that Williamson was looking for a guide, Taylor took a few trial runs with Williamson and the two immediately hit it off.
"We just clicked," says Taylor, who became Williamson's ninth guide in eight years on the national team. "Everything worked really well."
Both men are hoping their wildly successful run continues in Italy. If Williamson leaves Turin with the four medals he desires, his success will be well-deserved after the disappointment he endured at the 2002 Salt Lake City Paralympics.
A day before the opening ceremony, Williamson agreed to ski for a TV crew that wanted footage of him in action. Racing down an ungroomed slope Williamson caught an edge, fell and suffered a complete tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee.
On the day of the opening ceremony Williamson was told he probably wouldn't be able to compete. Rather than accept the diagnosis Williamson got fitted with a knee brace, then skipped his first event, the downhill, to rest. He returned to the hill for the super-G and giant slalom but didn't fare too well ("I was still getting used to my knee brace," he says).
Then, 10 days after the injury, Williamson won gold in the slalom.
"It was a lot of physio, some anti-inflammatories and a lot of pain while trying to ski race," he says. "But, as they say, (the Paralympics) happen once every four years if you're lucky, and for many people once in a lifetime."
Indeed, a ski racer never knows whether his next run could be his last. But when Williamson and Taylor shoot out of the start gate in Turin, each man will know he has the teammate of a lifetime right there with him.
http://www.cbc.ca/paralympics/indepth/headlines.shtml?skiingblind.html
Sport and Disability: Special Stories and Outstanding Courage
Candido Cannavò at the Italian Sports Press Association Convention in Bardonecchia
Mar 11 2006
paralympicgames.torino2006.org
There are stories about making a life for oneself despite difficulties, overcoming mental limits that don’t let you believe it is possible to eat, embrace, dance and paint without using your arms, or a baby defined at birth as a “vegetative being” becoming an internationally famous scientist.
These are the “stories of difficult, courageous, wonderful lives” told by Candido Cannavò, Italian sports journalist and author of the book “E li chiamano disabili” (And They Call Them People with a Disability).
He told these stories during the “ Informazione e Sport Paralimpico” (Information and Paralympic Sport) Convention held by the “Unione Stampa Sportiva Italiana, USSI” (the Italian Sports Press Association) yesterday afternoon at the “Centro Feste” in Bardonecchia.
These are passionate tales that, in addition to the amazement in realising an extraordinary and unthinkable reality, it is possible to understand that often limits are set by people who see a person with a disability: “ These people don’t need our sympathy because often they are happier and more complete than we are - explained Cannavò,- in fact we are the ones who have to learn a lesson about life from them”.
Agreeing with the words of the journalist, Regional Councillor for Tourism Giuliana Manica said: “People with a disability are an example for all of us, both when fighting our mental barriers and when coping with every kind of event in our lives. The Paralympics are an excellent occasion for moving towards 2007, the year of equal opportunities”.
The Torino IX Paralympic Games is an important event for sport journalism, in as much that it is “not only a social event, but above all a sports event and this is why it deserves media attention”, explained the USSI (Italian Sports Press Association) President Antonello Capone.
Also the president of the Sub-Alpine group of the USSI, Sandro Bocchio, commented: “We are proud to host the Paralympics in our region and as a journalist for Tuttosport I am proud of this newspaper’s commitment to the Paralympic world”.
Also at the convention the tennis player with a disability, Gianni Antonucci, emotionally expressed his best wishes for the 39 stars that will represent Italy in the Paralympic Winter Games..
Valentina Roberto
http://www.paralympicgames.torino2006.org/ENG/ParalympicGames/news/news_ita117107.html
IPC President Craven: - “An encouraging start”
March 12 2006
"An excellent start". To put it in the words of the President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), sir Philip Craven, at the end of the first day of competitions of the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games.
"The competitions are going very well – he added – we are having a much greater media attention than we expected and the audience are also responding in a tremendous way. Let’s hope it will continue like this".
The President of Comparto – the Organising Committee of the Paralympic Winter - Tiziana Nasi is also satisfied. "We are achieving a great deal of success: 25 thousand people at the Opening Ceremony and lots of enthusiasm, both in the mountains and in the city. And I’m convinced that the warmth of the people will grow even stronger in the next few days".
http://www.paralympicgames.torino2006.org/ENG/ParalympicGames/gare_e_programma/news_gp_1.html
Ice Sledge Hockey ~ March 11 2006
Britain's Stephens and Canada's Bowden collide during their ice sledge hockey match
during the Torino 2006 Winter Paralympic Games in Turin
Canada's Verner and Britain's Briggs fight for the puck during their ice sledge hockey match
Britain's Stephens and Canada's Westlake collide during their ice sledge hockey match
Standing Dowhill Alpine Skiing ~ March 11 2006
Gerd Schoenfelder of Germany takes gold
in the Men's Standing Dowhill Skiing competition
Michael Milton of Australia takes silver
in the Men's Standing Dowhill Skiing competition
Elitsa Storey of the USA competes
in the Women's Standing Dowhill Skiing competition
Michal Nevrkla of the Czech Republic competes
in the Men's Standing Dowhill Skiing competition
Standing Downhill Alpine Skiiing ~ 11 March 2006
(l to r) Renhild Moeller of Germany,
Solene Jambaque of France and
Iveta Chlebakova of Slovakia stand on the podium after the Standing Women's Downhill Skiiing
Gerd Schoenfelder of Germany celebrates taking the gold medal
during the Standing Men's Downhill Skiiing Competiton
Michael Milton of Australia celebrates taking the silver medal
during the Standing Men's Downhill Skiiing Competiton
Visually Impaired Biathlon ~ 11 March 2006
Emile Tabouret (R) of France and her guide Sophie Rey, compete in the
Women's 12.5KM - Visually Impaired Biathlon
Members of the Truppe Alpine assist the athletes during the
Men's 12.5KM - Visually Impaired Biathlon
Men's Standing Biathlon 12.5KM ~ 11 March 2006
Paget of France competes in the Men's 12.5KM - Standing Biathlon
Josef Giesen of Germany competes in the Men's 12.5KM - Standing Biathlon
Giesen of Germany competes in the Men's 15.5KM - Standing Biathlon
Valeriy Darovskikh of Russia competes in the Men's 12.5KM - Standing Biathlon
Mens Sitting Biathlon 12.5KM ~ 11 March 2006
Vladimir Kiselev of Russia in action on his way to winning the Gold Medal
in the Mens Biathlon 12.5KM - Sitting . © Getty Images
Hiroyuki Nagata (L) of Japan and Wieslaw Fiedor of Poland
compete in the Men's Biathlon 12.5KM - Sitting
Leonid Musanov of Russia competes in the Mens Biathlon 12.5KM - Sitting
Sergiy Khyzhnyak of the Ukraine competes in the Men's Biathlon 12.5KM - Sitting
U.S. Paralympics and The Hartford Join Forces to Provide
2006 Paralympic Games Coverage in USA Today
// U.S. Paralympics // March 9, 2006
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG), the founding sponsor of the U.S. Paralympics, today announced it will bring in-depth coverage of the 2006 Paralympic Games through a special section in USA Today.
On the days of March 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 20, Americans can check the sports section of USA Today to catch up on competition results and stories about Team USA or by visiting The Hartford’s website devoted to the U.S. Paralympics at groupbenefits.thehartford.com/usp/. The website will be updated with scores and highlights, every weekday morning starting March 10.
From March 10-19, more than 450 athletes with physical disabilities from 41 countries will compete in the Winter Paralympic Games will take place in Torino, Italy. Fifty-five Americans will be among the elite athletes competing in four sports – alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, sled hockey and wheelchair curling.
“The USA Today is the No. 1 U.S. newspaper, reaching more than seven million households nationwide daily,” said Charlie Huebner, USOC Chief of Staff. “Coverage of this magnitude is unparalleled in the history of the Paralympic Games in the U.S.”
“We encourage all Americans to support the U.S. Paralympic Team as they represent the U.S. on the world stage in Torino and appreciate the exceptional talent and ability of these world-class athletes,” said Dick Mucci, executive vice president and director of The Hartford’s Group Benefits Division. “The Hartford proudly supports the men and women of the U.S. Paralympics because they demonstrate our belief that by focusing on abilities – not perceived physical limitations – individuals can achieve success in sports, the workplace and all aspects of life.”
U.S. Paralympics and The Hartford, a leading U.S. group disability insurer, forged their groundbreaking founding partnership in 2003. Last year, The Hartford renewed their commitment through the 2008 Paralympic Summer Games by becoming the first company to sign a seven-figure, multi-year agreement with U.S. Paralympics, resulting in the most significant corporate commitment to the Paralympic movement in U.S. history. Throughout the year, The Hartford works with U.S. Paralympics and individual Paralympians to positively change attitudes and perceptions of disability, especially within the business community.
Visit http://www.paralympicgames.torino2006.org/ for a schedule of Games.
About The Hartford
The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest financial services and insurance companies, with 2005 revenues of $27.1 billion. The Hartford is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, Brazil and the United Kingdom. The Hartford's Internet address is http://www.thehartford.com/.
http://www.usolympicteam.com/paralympics/news_45004.htm
Preparing the Paralympic Winter Games
The challenge posed by the management of an Olympic event is always imposing. In the organisation of a Paralympic event, besides the variables pertaining to an event of enormous complexity, there will also be the conscience of the responsibility for an event that has the aim of changing the mentality of a whole society.
Therefore the event poses not only management, logistic and organisational challenges, but the awareness of defending and promoting a heritage of attention and civil and cultural sensitivity to be passed on to new generations.
The Paralympic Games are on the constant rise since the first edition: the number of disciplines and the attendance of the public and teams increase constantly, along with media visibility and with mounting responsibilities in communicating the event.
Over 600 athletes compared to the 570 of Nagano 1998 and the 490 of Salt Lake City 2002, 40 countries represented and a new discipline, Wheelchair Curling. The overall budget is 56.3 million Euro.
10 days of competitions: From 10-19 March 2006
5 disciplines · 4 Competition Venues
1 Olympic Village
1,300 people among athletes, guides, technicians and responsibles
40 countries taking part
1,000 among representatives of the IPC, Paralympic Committees and Federations
1,200 potential Sponsors guests
1,000 journalists and TV operators
6,000 Volunteers
250,000 spectators expected on Competition Venues and over 350,000,000 TV spectators
http://www.paralympicgames.torino2006.org/ENG/ParalympicGames/dietro_quinte/preparare_giochi.html
Let the Paralympic Games begin
Last Updated: Fri Mar 10 15:48:17 EST 2006
CBC Sports
Mar 10 2006
It will really be the desire to overcome every type of limit to characterise tonight’s show, the Opening Ceremony of the IX Paralympic Winter Games of Torino.
In the almost two hours of choreographies, light games, parades and protocols, athletes, personalities, Institutions representatives, and thousands of spectators will interact to give life to a unique, great message to the world: the need and the possibility of knocking down any type of barrier, from the logistic and practical ones to the psychological and organisational ones.
Sport, not only represents an occasion to be together or a therapeutic moment, it is a real occasion for daily challenge.
The singer Ligabue, the mountaineer and writer Reinhold Messner and the pilot Alex Zanardi will be the great protagonists of the show and, thanks to their experience, also the testimonials of this message of hope.
During the evening there will be the performance of “Dance Ability”, a dance technique practiced by able bodied people as well as by people with a disability that allows dancers with different physical possibilities to dance together, a “pas de deux” between the dancers Simona Atzori, with a disability, and Luca Alberti, able bodied. And then technology, with most innovative show ever staged in Italy, a moment in which music and light will join in a crescendo of colours to celebrate the knocking down of barriers.
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