09 Feb MOUNTAIN VILLAGE GAMES TO BENEFIT TASP
The Mountain Village Winter Games return February 11 to benefit the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program; athletes converge on snow-packed soil for some winter adventure on skies, snowshoes and bikes.
(Editor’s note: TASP recently completed its 12th annual “Expand Your Horizons” camp. See the video below for a quick view of the four-day event. Photo credits: JD Gamble)
Mountain Village exudes this winter wonderland-like quality with its sport offerings: Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding, snow biking, ice skating, all among magnificent jetting peaks that frame each activity picture-perfectly.
So to celebrate what helps define the town from season-to-season, BootDoctors/Paragon Outdoors presents the Mountain Village Winter Games Saturday, February 11, 2012, a celebration of all things winter sports.
“Every season we purposely provide activities for multi-use as we want to cater to all user groups alike – those with a love and passion for winter sports,” Director of Recreation Tony Forrest said. “And to highlight this fact, the town is calling for all participants – young and old, amateur and expert – to compete in the Winter Games using gear of their liking. New to the event, something we are really excited about, is the addition of snow bikes. In fact, as part of the Winter Games we’ve dedicated a race to this sport to acknowledge the growth of winter mountain biking.”
On cross-country skis, snowshoes or snow bike, participants will meet their match while competing in any or all of the following: short-loop and relay races, obstacle courses, games of chance and more. Open to all ages and skill levels, and with on-site registration, this event is free to the public and begins at 11 a.m. on Mountain Village’s Nordic Trail System, located at the entrance of town on Adams Ranch Road. Music, inspired by last year’s event, will be played, and free, warm food and beverage will be provided by The Market at Mountain Village.
There is no purse prize at stake, or entry fee required. Even better, the Winter Games is a fundraiser for the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program (TASP). Prize tickets will be sold at a nominal fee: $5 for the first ticket and $1 for each additional prize ticket purchased, and all proceeds for that raffle will benefit TASP.
All ticket holders will be entered to win prizes, generously donated by Winter Games sponsors. One must be present to win.
“TASP is a fixture in this community: they do so much good for so many people; I can only begin to imagine the kind of positive impact the organization has had on hundreds of lives,” said Community Relations Manager Nichole Zangara Riley. “When we began the planning process for this year’s Winter Games, it just seemed so natural to turn the town’s love for winter sports into a fundraiser for TASP … to give back to an organization that gives so much and shows disabled people that they can ski, board, and bike.”
According to TASP’s Executive Director Courtney Stuecheli, TASP enriches the lives of people with disabilities by providing therapeutic recreational opportunities that develop life skills and encourage personal growth.
“TASP is a non-profit organization that provides these services regardless of one’s ability to pay,” Stuecheli explained. “TASP offers adaptive skiing, snowboarding, rafting, fishing, road cycling, mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, horseback riding, ice climbing and other activities that allow students to participate on an equal level with their family and friends in safe, fun, outdoor environment. These challenging activities enhance our students’ ability to become more active, independent members of their communities.”
Last year TASP served over 400 individuals in more than 2,400 activities.
“We provide our services to locals, visitors and more than 20 regional special education classes and groups, as well as to disabled veterans and their families. Our premier sponsors include Telluride Ski & Golf Company., which provides tickets and passes so that our instructors and volunteers can access the mountain, and Telluride Sports, which provides all ski and snowboard rentals at no cost to our participants.”
Although participants are encouraged to bring their own gear, this year’s presenting sponsor, BootDoctors/Paragon Outdoors, will provide Nordic, snowshoe and snow bike demos for free, along with swag and prize items among other things.
“BootDoctors continuously provides Mountain Village with event sponsorship support – summer and winter,” said Zangara Riley. “It’s never a question of, ‘Will they be a sponsor?’ It’s more of a question of, ‘Are they really giving all of this?’ Their generous contribution to this year’s Winter Games will only make it that more memorable for the participants and its beneficiary – TASP.”
Other event sponsors who make Mountain Village events like the Winter Games happen include Azadi Fine Rugs, The Market at Mountain Village, Dakine and Salomon as a gold sponsors; sports apparel company Icebreaker as a silver sponsor; and American National Bank, Swix and Black Diamond as contributing sponsors.
Pick Your Poison
11 a.m. Registration and Course Inspections
11:30 a.m. Special K – Nordic Short-Loop Race
12 p.m. Pug Crit – Snow Bike Short-Loop Race
12:30 p.m. Lunch & Awards
1 p.m. Free Heeling, Free Wheeling – Skiing, Snowshoeing, Biking Relay Race
1:30 p.m. Games of Skill & Chance
1:45 p.m. Prize Drawings
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