 2009 World Winter Games
February 7-13, 2009
Boise, Idaho
Overview
February 7-13, 2009, Idaho will play host to the world for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. Up to 3,000 athletes from more than 100 countries will compete in seven Olympic-type sports: Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and speed skating. Held in the spectacular mountains of Boise, McCall and Sun Valley, Idaho, the 2009 World Games is expected to be the largest World Winter Games in the history of the movement.
The Special Olympics World Games, held every two years and alternating between Summer and Winter Games, are much more than just a sporting event. In addition to showcasing the skills and achievements of Special Olympics athletes, the 2009 World Games will embody the movement’s messages of acceptance and inclusion. These Games will bring together heads of state, celebrities and leaders in the fields of education, health care, business and sports to witness firsthand Special Olympics’ ability to transform communities and the lives of more than 190 million people worldwide with intellectual disabilities. Most importantly, the 2009 World Games will focus on the power of young people as leaders in shattering stereotypes and changing attitudes.
“The global Special Olympics movement is bigger and stronger than ever,” said Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver. “But there is still a lot of work to be done. A generation of young people is looking for something to inspire them, to engage them, something they can take ownership of and pride in. Our athletes provide that inspiration every day, and we invite the world to experience it firsthand.”
“Idaho has the great honor of hosting the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games,” said Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter. “It will be my privilege as Governor to welcome the world to our home and to invite everyone to be a fan of both this tremendous international event and the Special Olympics global movement. We are looking forward to a competitive extravaganza – as well as a diverse and profoundly human experience as the athletes showcase their abilities on the world stage.”
SPECIAL EVENTS:
The second Global Law Enforcement Torch Run® will begin with the ignition of the "Flame of Hope" and the lighting of the torch in Athens, Greece on 12 November 2008. From there the torch will travel across six continents where it will be showcased at 12 global ceremonies and community celebrations to raise awareness of Special Olympics and highlight the 2009 World Winter Games. The "Flame of Hope" will arrive in Idaho two weeks prior to the start of the Games and will continue its journey throughout Idaho, carried by the Law Enforcement Officers and Special Olympics athletes of the 2009 Final Leg Team.
Law Enforcement Torch Run® Final Leg for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games – An international team of 142 members, which includes 95 Law Enforcement Officer runners, 10 Special Olympics athletes and support personnel, will serve as Guardians of the Flame® as they welcome and receive the "Flame of Hope" in Idaho. To symbolize the significant contribution of law enforcement and the inclusion of Special Olympics athletes in this unified Torch Run, the Final Leg Team will conduct extensive runs and ceremonies in all of the Host Town Program communities and in many other towns throughout Idaho to heighten awareness of Special Olympics and the World Games. The Final Leg Team will safely deliver the "Flame of Hope" to the 2009 World Winter Games Opening Ceremony in Nampa, Idaho on February 7th.
Host Town Program – Delegations from around the world will be hosted throughout Idaho prior to the World Games. For four days before the Opening Ceremony, the Host Town experience gives Special Olympics athletes a chance to learn more about American culture and acclimate to a new environment, and also helps the people of Idaho learn more about people with intellectual disabilities.
Opening Ceremony - An exciting and entertaining show to open the World Games. The spectacular event will take place on February 7 at the Idaho Center in Nampa and will include star-studded entertainment, the Parade of Athletes, the culmination of the Final Leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run® and lighting of the Special Olympics cauldron.
Global Youth Summit - An assembly bringing youth with and without intellectual disabilities together for inspiring and educational discussions. The inaugural summit took place in 2001 at the World Winter Games in Anchorage, Alaska (USA), and has continued to be a featured highlight event at every subsequent World Games, attracting over 160 Global Youth leaders from 57 Special Olympics Programs worldwide. The Global Youth Summit has attracted heads of state and celebrity participation such as Nelson Mandela, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Muhammad Ali, Colin Farrell and Maria Shriver. The Summit has aired on major networks across the world including MTV in the United Kingdom, Nickelodeon in the United States, Japanese National Television and China’s CCTV, which aired multiple broadcasts of the 2007 Global Youth Summit to more than 1 billion people.
Special Olympics Sports Experience – An activity that allows participants to experience the talents and personalities of Special Olympics athletes first-hand. The goal is for participants to leave with a lasting and powerful memory of Special Olympics by providing an interactive space for guests to play against athletes in various sports and skills competitions.
Family Forum - An activity tailored for family members of Special Olympics athletes to enable them to learn more about the opportunities available with Special Olympics, and to provide a network of friends and supporters.
Closing Ceremony - An event to celebrate the accomplishments of the athletes and officially close the Games at the Idaho Center in Nampa.
Healthy Athletes® Screenings – Volunteer medical professionals will provide a variety of free health assessments, including vision, dental, audiology and physical therapy, to competing athletes. Past Healthy Athletes screenings have changed the lives of many athletes around the world, discovering serious untreated health issues.
Back to Top
2009 World Games Website:
For everything you need to know about the World Winter Games, visit www.2009worldgames.org
Team USA Website
See photos and read daily journal entries about Team USA at www.specialolympicsteamusa.org
Photos and Videos of the Games and our Athletes!
There really aren't words that can capture the excitement, joy and emotion of a World Games, that's why we are planning to have photos and videos. Be sure and check back during and after the games for photos and videos that will make you feel like you were there with Team Florida-USA every step of the way.
World Games Photos and Videos
Thanks to a collaboration between the University of Miami and several Idaho-area Universities, this site will have video highlights and slide shows from throughout the Games, including footage of the Opening Ceremony: www.specialolympicslive.org
More Videos!
Get a sneak peek of the World Winter Games Venues
World Winter Games TV Ad
Back to Top
Results for Team Florida-USA
News
11-15-08
Team USA-Florida Heads to Colorado for Olympic Training Dec. 1-5
In two months, Angela Gunderman of West Palm Beach and Rebekah Lohr of Jupiter will be making the trip to Idaho and surrounding areas for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. But first, they are heading to Copper Mountain, Colorado, for a five-day training camp Dec. 3-7.
Lohr will be competing in figure skating and Gunderman will be competing in Alpine Skiing.
For Team USA, consisting of 355 athletes and 85 coaches, plus management team members, this training camp is the first official time many of the athletes will meet their World Games coach and other athletes from all over the nation who will be joining them on their trip to World Games. The camp will offer a variety of coaches meetings and sport-specific training in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, floor hockey, figure skating, snowboarding, snowshoe racing and speed skating.
Athletes and coaches will participate in team building activities. Featured events for the camp include an Idaho Night, featuring information about the Games’ host state. The training camp will be capped off Saturday evening with a dinner and recap of the events of training camp. Also during camp, athletes from Team USA will be fitted for their uniforms and have sport-specific photos taken.
This is the 9th Special Olympics World Winter Games, uniting nearly 3,000 athletes from 100 countries for competition Feb. 7-13, 2009. Special thanks go to Bank of America, Sage Hospitality, American Federation of Teachers, North American Police Ski Championships, Columbia Sportswear and Gear for Sports as sponsors and Toko as product supplier of Team USA.
Back to Top
Meet Team Florida!
ATHLETES:
Gunderman, Angela- Alpine Skiing
Lohr, Rebekah- Figure Skating
Back to Top
|
Competition 