Eldora Mountain Resort and Eldora Mountain Ski Club are hosting some of the world’s premier adaptive skiers at the mountain’s La Belle trail for a series of Federation of International Skiing-level para alpine giant slalom and slalom races.
“What the Eldora ski team did for us has been amazing,” said Erik Petersen, executive director for the National Sports Center for the Disabled and coach of the group from Winter Park. They’ve done a top-notch job at putting on the event and making sure everybody has what they need and are comfortable.”
The event, which started Wednesday and runs through Friday, features national and international athletes pursuing bids to next year’s Winter Paralympics in Italy, as well as several current U.S. national team athletes.
Teams ranging from Winter Park, Colorado, to Park City, Utah, to Windham, New York, took to the Eldora slopes for the events, some of which are optimized for skiers with visual and mobility impairments. Races begin daily at 9:30 a.m. and are open to any skier with an adaptive license.
Interested spectators and media are welcome to attend. The venue is not accessible by foot, so skis or a snowboard and a valid ticket or pass to Eldora Mountain are required. Members of the media could request access from Sam Bass, marketing director for Eldora Mountain Resort, at sbass@eldora.com or 720-431-9637.
“This event brings awareness to para sports along the Front Range and gives the local community the opportunity to see and take part in their own backyard,” Erik Leirfallom,
para sport director for U.S. Ski and Snowboard, said in a news release. “We hope this could become a yearly event to help expand our race series.”
