Annual event brings hopeful Paralympic skiers to compete at Park City Mountain
PARK CITY, UTAH [Jan. 6, 2020] – The National Ability Center, a leading non-profit organization that provides world-class adaptive recreation and outdoor adventures for individuals and families of differing abilities, announced today that the 31st annual Huntsman Cup will be held at Park City Mountain. Running from Feb. 4 to Feb. 6, the World Para Alpine Ski Race (WPAS) invites 2022 Paralympic hopefuls from around the world to challenge each other on the Park City slopes in the International Paralympic Committee sanctioned sporting event.
“Every year talented adaptive athletes from across the country and around the world join us to participate in this incredible competition,” said Kevin Stickelman, CEO of the National Ability Center. “As we set our sights on the upcoming 2022 Winter Paralympics, we continue to refine and nurture our competition and development programs, in hopes of supporting adaptive athletes as they work towards their dreams of competing in the games.”
The 3-day competition is sponsored by Park City Mountain Resort and Vail EpicPromise. The popular event helps build technical racing skills and provides a race venue to achieve appropriate scores to qualify for top-level international competitions in preparation for the 2022 Paralympics. Super G races are scheduled for Feb. 4 followed by Slalom racing on Feb. 5 and 6. After hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics and being recognized as a year-round resource for outdoor recreation, Park City continues to be the perfect location to attract top skiers from countries like Kenya, Chile, Australia, Great Britain, Japan and the U.S. The National Ability Center’s High Performance Alpine team is scheduled to compete with approximately 30 other adaptive athletes.
An annual awards program was introduced at last year’s event and there are plans to continue this initiative to honor the late Jon Huntsman Sr. and Karen Huntsman. Awards will be presented to a female and male athlete, coach, or support staff that have had tremendous influence on paraskiing.
“As an annual event, the Huntsman Cup has become a staple on our calendar. We encourage the Park City community to join us in supporting the athletes at this free event by cheering on these dedicated Paralympic hopefuls,” said Sara Beaudry-Wiltse, Competition Program Manager at the National Ability Center. “The Huntsman Family’s dedication and willingness to help spread our mission of building the adaptive nation through adaptive and competitive programming is truly remarkable and we can’t thank them enough. We are proud to offer necessary and sought after events to the adaptive community and are appreciative of all of the volunteers, participants and supporters that make this race a success.”
Those with race experience are encouraged to get involved by volunteering as course slippers or gate keepers. Additional volunteer opportunities include bib collectors, hand timers, cheering section, room host runners, among others. If interested, email [email protected].
For more information on the Huntsman Cup, visit discovernac.org/huntsman-cup or email [email protected].
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About the National Ability Center
The National Ability Center provides world-class adaptive recreation and Splore outdoor adventures for individuals and families of differing abilities, physical, cognitive and developmental, including competitive athletes, youth, veterans and more. Rooted in Park City, UT for over 30 years, with additional facilities in Salt Lake City and Moab, the National Ability Center empowers participants by building self-esteem, confidence and lifetime skills through inclusive programming and activities such as alpine and nordic skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, cycling, swimming, rafting, archery, among others. The National Ability Center is globally recognized as a chapter of Disabled Sports USA and is one of only 12 Gold U.S. Paralympic Sports Clubs. For more information, visit www.discovernac.org.
About Vail Resorts EpicPromise
Vail Resorts EpicPromise is how Vail Resorts embodies its foundational value – Do Good. By supporting the health of our communities through local grants and employee volunteering, the wellbeing and development of our employees through the EpicPromise Foundation and the resilience of our environment and global climate through our bold Commitment to Zero, EpicPromise helps create a more promising future for generations to come.
