West Dover, VT, Friday, February 1, 2013— Disabled skiers of all ages from throughout New England and New York will be at Mount Snow this weekend to race in the second annual Level I Diana Golden/Mills Cup race for Paralympic and Special Olympics hopefuls hosted by AbilityPLUS and Mount Snow Resort.

The Level I Race Series is an introductory event for disabled athletes new to the sport of alpine ski racing. The open Giant Slalom course is set for entry-level racers, who may compete in either the Diana Golden Division for athletes with physical disabilities, or the Mills Cup Division for athletes with non-physical disabilities, which include developmental, cognitive and emotional disabilities. The Diana Golden series prepares racers for Paralympic competition, while the Mills Cup series funnels competitors to Special Olympics events.

“The Diana Golden and Mills Cup race series provide people with disabilities the opportunity to enter the world of alpine ski racing,” said AbilityPLUS Alpine Race Team head coach Corey Robinson. “AbilityPLUS has an extensive adaptive ski program at Mount Snow, and we recognize that many of our students have both the potential and the desire to take their ability to the next level. We established our race team to help these athletes reach their potential, and hosting Diana Golden and Mills Cup events is a natural progression”.

Approximately 30 adaptive skiers are scheduled to compete in Saturday’s event, 8 of whom are members of the AbilityPLUS Alpine Race Team at Mount Snow.

“AbilityPLUS has an enviable history with world-class Paralympic and Special Olympic athletes, and our current group of competitors are training hard to continue the legacy,” said Robinson.

World and national champion adaptive athletes Chris Waddell and Pat Parnell are associated with AbilityPLUS, and up and coming Paralympic racer Andrew Haraghey is a member of the current AbilityPLUS alpine race team at Mount Snow.

At the conclusion of Saturday’s races, AbilityPLUS will host an awards ceremony in Mount Snow’s Discovery Center, located next to the Drop Zone and large parking area reserved for people with disabilities. Race Registration also will be held at the Discovery Center. For race registration and further information about the AbilityPLUS Alpine Race Team, please call Sue Tatem at 802-464-1100 x4699, or email Sue at statem@abilityplus.org.

AbilityPLUS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in its sixteenth year of enriching the lives of program participants, their families, friends and a community of volunteers who work to provide year ’round adaptive sports and recreation for individuals with all manner of disabilities, from severe physical impairments to people with autism across the spectrum. The AbilityPLUS Soldiers For Soldiers program serves wounded veterans and active-duty service members who have experienced life altering injuries as a result of their service to the United States, including amputations, brain injuries, burns, visual and hearing impairments, all forms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other emotional scars.

AbilityPLUS operates from three permanent resort locations at Attitash, NH, Mount Snow, VT, and Wildcat, NH, and offers special programs and events throughout the northeast. AbilityPLUS is a Chapter of DSUSA and is a Paralympic Sport Club. More information about AbilityPLUS programs, volunteering and sponsorship opportunities is available at www.abilityplus.org, or by calling 800-287-8415 x103.