NZSnowboard.com - The home of New Zealand Snowboarding

19th February 2009

 Lake Wanaka, New Zealand - Eleven athletes from the New Zealand Special Olympics team arrived home yesterday, proudly displaying their medals from the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise, Idaho, 7-13 February 2009.

The team competed in alpine skiing, snowboarding and figure skating with snowboarder Robin Matthews, Auckland, and alpine skier Thomas van der Lugt, Otago taking home a gold medal each in their respective sports.
Special Olympics New Zealand Head of Delegation, Stew Hewett said it was an all round great effort from the team picked up an additional five silvers and a bronze medal.

They did New Zealand proud in not only their skiing ability but also their great attitude and good nature," said Hewett.

With the Attitude TV film crew on-site capturing the excitement, the team put in their best effort on the challenging terrain.

The race courses were steeper than Special Olympics athletes would normally compete on in New Zealand, but the team stepped up with their times improving consistently throughout the competition.

The alpine ski races were held in the superb resort of Bogus Basin, approximately one hour outside Boise, the snowboarding event was held at Dollar Mountain in Sun Valley, and the Figure Skating competition was held at Qwest Arena, central Boise.

Held every four years, the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games brought nearly 2,500 Special Olympics athletes from more than 100 countries together to showcase their athletic skills and celebrate the true spirit of competition through winter sports.

 Over the past two years, I have learned first-hand that through the power of sport, Special Olympics can transform the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, inspiring a worldwide community to be a fan of joy, courage, dignity and inclusion," said Chip Fisher, CEO and Chairman 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games.

Special Olympics is an international non-profit organisation which offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports, in order to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

The documentary produced by Attitude TV will be screened at 9:30am on Sunday March 8th on TV1.
For more info on the event click on the following links:
2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games
www.2009worldgames.org


Click on the following links to view video coverage:
View each Kiwi team member competing click HERE
View snowboarder John Alexander on the Intermediate giant slalom course HERE

Team results from the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games:
Intermediate Level Snowboarding -First year New Zealand has competed.
Robin Matthews (Auckland) Gold Medal Giant Slalom, 7th Slalom, 4th Super G
John Halliday (Central Otago) 4th Giant Slalom, 6th Slalom, 4th Super G

Advanced Level Alpine Skiing
Jason Donovan (Kapiti) 4th Giant Slalom, Silver Medal Slalom, 4th Super G
Thomas van der Lugt (Otago) Gold Medal Giant Slalom, 5th Slalom, Silver Medal Super G

Intermediate Level Alpine Skiing
Tess Haskell (North Harbour) 5th Giant Slalom, 7th Slalom, 5th Super G
Dan Joyce (North Otago) Silver Medal Giant Slalom, 5th Slalom, 4th Super G
Chris Rae (Marlborough) 5th Giant Slalom, Bronze Medal Slalom, 6th Super G
Josh Ryan (Manawatu) Silver Medal Giant Slalom, 5th Slalom, Silver Medal

Super G
Duncan Sheffield (Tamaki) 4th Giant Slalom, 4th Super G, DQd (missed gate)

Slalom
Aaron Wild (Southland) 5th Giant Slalom, 5th Slalom, 8th Super G

Level 4 Figure Skating Singles
Ben Southern (Canterbury) 4th
 






LINK:   www.2009worldgames.org








For further Information contact:  Sue Kysow
National Director - Sports, Events & Programmes
(04) 5600 355 or (027) 543 7096
suek@specialolympics.org.nz