Lorraine Whelan and Finbarr Hughes won silver for Ireland in the Novice Downhill Skiing final at the 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Alaska. The entire Irish team qualified for the competition, and Jacinta O'Neill and Jim Nugent took the fourth place ribbons in their respective divisions, while Warren Tate and Cormac Maguire took fifth place ribbons.
Heavy snowfall yielded 19 inches of fresh powder in the run-up to the day's competition, and Ireland missed out on a final practice run as the road to the Alyeska resort was inaccessible due to dynamite detonation to clear possible avalanche falls.
Special Olympics is a year-round sports training and competition programme for children and adults with learning disabilities. Founded in 1968 in the United States by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the organisation has now grown to encompass over 160 countries. There are now almost 12,000 athletes participating in the programme on the island of Ireland, where the Special Olympics began in 1978.
Athletes train and compete in nine summer sports - athletics, basketball, bowling, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming and table tennis. Two winter sports are offered - alpine skiing and poly hockey.
In addition, there is a non-competitive motor activities programme which puts emphasis on training and participation. To send a good luck wish to the Irish 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games team visit www.specialolympics.ie or email info@specialolympics.ie
