Skier Beth Wragg
A delegation of 73 learning disabled skiers and 59 coaches and volunteers (see list below by region) are preparing for Special Olympics Great Britain's National Alpine Ski Championship in Pila, Italy next month to take part in vital Qualifiers for the Special Olympics World Winter Games in South Korea in a year's time (www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk).
The championships take place from 15-22 January 2012 and according to Head of Delegation Candy Wragg of West Midlands, "This is the largest delegation to date! It's exciting to see the ski programme grow each year – especially in a country with very little snow."
The team is made up of five skiers from Scotland, seven from Wales and 61 from all corners of England. The skiers will be representing their regions and are competing for medals as well as the chance to be selected for Special Olympics World Winter Games in Pyeong Chang, South Korea, 26 January - 6 February 2013, the year before the Winter Olympics in Russia. One hundred nations will participate with 2500 learning disabled participants.
In fact special Olympics is the largest sports training and competition programme in the world in nearly 200 countries with over 3.5 million athletes.
Five-time Olympic skier, eight-time British Champion and BBC TV Presenter Graham Bell (Ski Sunday and High Altitude) is a big fan of the team and hopes to attend, "I have been a Special Olympics GB Ambassador since 2009 and have seen first-hand the team's dedication and fearlessness when it comes to training and competing. This is the qualifier for Special Olympics World Winter Games in Korea and I know that these skiers are there to win!"
The athletes will compete in three different disciplines: Super Giant Slalom, Giant Slalom and Slalom in Advanced, Intermediate and Novice levels. Each athlete is divisioned to compete at their ability level.
To be eligible to participate in this competition, athletes must have a learning disability (IQ below 75), be at least eight years old and have competed at Special Olympics Regional Skiing competitions.
In fact the youngest skier participating is 13 year old David Corr from Chorley, Lancashire who is excited to be participating in his first national competition with his mum cheering him on. Corr's brother skis with the All-England Dry Slope Squad and is the under-16 national champion. The oldest skier is 44 year old Jonathan Frett of New Malden, Surrey who participated at the last Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise Idaho in 2009.
Special Olympics groups across the country have been fundraising to send their athletes to Pila. Special Olympics Surrey skiers and supporters went Bag Packing at a Sainbury's in Epsom and in three hours raised an impressive £550.
Special Olympics Great Britain is the country's largest provider of year-round sports training and competition for adults and children with learning disabilities, regardless of their ability and was established over 30 years ago and has nearly 8,000 athletes in 135 clubs in England, Scotland and Wales run by a dedicated army of over 2,800 volunteers that act in a wide variety of roles from sport coaches to fundraisers.
Special Olympics competitions are structured so that athletes compete with other athletes of similar ability in equitable divisions. National Games are held every four years alternating between Summer World Games and Winter World Games, and then European and International Games.
In Great Britain there are an estimated 1.2 million people with a learning disability. When you consider families, friends and carers, the total footprint of those affected is near up to 12 million people. 200 babies will be born this week with a learning disability. They will face discrimination all their life.
The competitors and coaches at the Special Olympics Great Britain's National Alpine Ski Championship in Pila are:
ENGLAND
Corr, David Joseph 13 Athlete North West Rossendale
Corr, Jenni Family North West Rossendale
De Vial, Cameron 18 Athlete North West Rossendale
Holden, Robert Joseph 21 Athlete North West Rossendale
Hopkins, Mike Coach North West Rossendale
Kay, Liam 17 Athlete North West Rossendale
Kirk, Thomas 16 Athlete North West Rossendale
Mcfarlane, Hamish 19 Athlete North West Rossendale
Myers, Daniel Ryan 15 Athlete North West Rossendale
Owen, Rebecca Jade 15 Athlete North West Rossendale
Squire, Andy Coach North West Rossendale
Stansfield, Karen Coach North West Rossendale
Walton, Michael 68 Coach Northern Seamer
Walton, Susan 40 Coach Northern Seamer
Walton, Nicholas 36 Athlete Northern Skelton
Cardillo-Zallo, Sue 45 Coach South East Kingston
Coulon, Carol 67 Coach South East East Horsley
Davidson, Malcolm 52 Coach South East Dover
Devanney, William 49 Vip South East Bromley
Friend, Clive 67 Coach South East Stoke D'abernon
Kelly, Roger 41 Coach South East London
Lines, Sally 54 Coach South East Woking
Oosthuizen, Sonette 47 Coach South East Surbiton
Sykes, Chris 55 Coach South East Saffron Walden
Tavener, Chris 63 Coach South East London
Tully, John 60 Coach South East Tonbridge
Way, Judy 72 Coach South East Bickley
Dempsey, Hannah 23 Athlete South East Orpington
Andrews, Jane F 35 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Beckett, Corinna 29 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Cottrell, William 24 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Coulon, Anthony 26 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Coulon, Denis Michel 62 Volunteer South East Southeastskigroup
Cullen, Mark 24 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Franks, Ayesha 25 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Giannini, Kevin Brian 32 Volunteer South East Southeastskigroup
Grimes, Keith 53 Coach South East Southeastskigroup
Lynch, Lissadell 38 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Martineau, Andrew 20 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Mccarthy, Wayne 30 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Payne, Lauren 17 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Pezet, Glen Gregory 26 Volunteer South East Southeastskigroup
Roberts, Henrietta 22 Coach South East Southeastskigroup
Sharples, Chloe 26 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Tavener, James 20 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Taylor, Owain 26 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Tully, Alison 29 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup
Ball, Caroline 28 Athlete South East Surrey
Cardillo-Zallo, Antonio 46 Coach South East Surrey
Cardillo-Zallo, Tomas 21 Athlete South East Surrey
Frett, Jonathan 44 Athlete South East Surrey
Friend, Gregory 29 Athlete South East Surrey
Friend, Jane 9 Coach South East Surrey
Hastings, Scott 20 Athlete South East Surrey
Lehrter, Jonathan David 18 Athlete South East Surrey
Lines, Michael 23 Athlete South East Surrey
Nakoneczny, Jeremy 52 Coach South East Surrey
Nakoneczny, Stefan 21 Athlete South East Surrey
Oosthuizen, Karen 20 Athlete South East Surrey
Peciuch, Joseph 23 Athlete South East Orpingtonsharks
Prior, Kathleen 45 Coach South East. Surrey
Prior, Sarah 20 Athlete South East Surrey
Sinden, Elanor 22 Athlete South East Surrey
Sippets, Alan 29 Athlete South East Surrey
Turner, Jonathon 28 Athlete South East Surrey
Undrom, Mikael 24 Athlete South East Surrey
Velli-Smith, Sebastian 17 Athlete South East Surrey
Webster, Peter Joseph 60 Coach South East Surrey
Gilroy, Alison Elizabeth 48 Coach Southern Old Netley
Dries, Rebecca Ann 41 Coach Southern Southamptonotars
Hudson, Neale 41 Athlete Southern Southamptonotars
Leavesley, Sarah 42 Athlete Southern Southamptonotars
Searle, Samuel 22 Athlete Southern Southamptonotars
Benskin, Rebecca 28 Coach West Midlands Sutton Coldfield
Clark, Hazel 41 Vol West Midlands/Nat Grid
Evans, Mike 47 Coach West Midlands Bromsgrove
Gault, Shaun 54 Coach West Midlands Tamworth
Hewitt, Ashley 20 Coach West Midlands Redditch
Lines, Alan 63 Coach West Midlands Redditch
Muller, Francis 27 Athlete West Midlands Stourbridge
Odonohue, Fleur 29 Athlete West Midlands Nuneaton
Parish, Keith 57 Coach West Midlands Redditch
Wragg, Candia 62 Coach West Midlands Kinver
Day, Katie 26 Athlete West Midlands City of Birmingham
Desmond, Joanne 30 Athlete West Midlands City of Birmingham
Honer, Dion 17 Athlete West Midlands City of Birmingham
Hannah, Craig 36 Athlete West Midlands Dudley
Harrison, Nicola 27 Athlete West Midlands Northshropshire
Lines, Clare 28 Athlete West Midlands Northshropshire
Burdan, Edward 38 Athlete West Midlands Redditch
Mcfadden, Daniel 24 Athlete West Midlands Redditch
Eden, Emma Louise 28 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Evans, Elizabeth 24 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Evans, Scott 18 Coach West Midlands.Westmidlandsski
Hendon, Joannah 21 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Hendon, Luke 29 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Holland, Amy 24 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Holland, Mick Family West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Honer, Paul Charles 48 Family West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Jones, Craig Coach West Midlands.Westmidlandsski Birmingham
Mason-Williams, David 17 Athlete West Midlands.Westmidlandsski
Mason-Williams, Marcus 19 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Mason-Williams, Michael 52 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Millard, James 22 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Ratheram, Steven Douglas 50 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Savage, Leah 16 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Smallman, Thomas William 20 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Thomas, Charlotte 18 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski
Brunt, George 28 Athlete West Midlands Worcestershire
Wragg, Beth 35 Athlete West Midlands Worcestershire
SCOTLAND
Campbell, Malcolm 66 Coach Grampian Aberdeen
Purdie, Adrienne 47 Coach Grampian Aberdeen
Purdie, Luke 17 Athlete Grampian Aberdeen
Salvesen, Stephanie 25 Athlete Grampian Torphins
Thompson, Shonagh 45 Coach Grampian Aberdeen
Thow, Bob 54 Coach Grampian Belhelvie
Wrate, Kristen 30 Athlete Grampian Old Meldrum
Jeffray, Ann 66 Coach Lothian Gifford
Jeffray, Claire 34 Athlete Lothian Gifford
Barclay, Ruth 15 Athlete Grampian Newmacher
WALES
Bowen, Christopher 19 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire
Newell, Philip Neil 58 Coach Wales Crosshands
Williams, Alexis 50 Coach Wales Llandeilo
Allen, Elizabeth 18 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire
Beazley, Lynda Anne 49 Coach Wales Carmarthenshire
Harper, Joshua 15 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire
Phillips, Kirk 19 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire
Price, Neil 17 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire
Welton, Peter 37 Coach Wales Carmarthenshire
Cropper, Michael 14 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire
Edwards, Jordan 17 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire