The Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports (VASS)/Sugarbush Alpine Race Team competed at the 2016 Special Olympic Winter Games held March 6 and 7 at Suicide Six.
Ten athletes from the team competed in slalom, giant slalom (GS) and super G events: Grace Kirpan, Phillip Kellem and Christopher Riley from Moretown, Tommy Johnson of Warren, Melissa Lansky and Nick Zecchinelli of Montpelier, Bennet Townley and Justin McQuiston of Williston, Lelia Volmer of Craftsbury, and new team member Jesse Campbell of Shelburne. Two athletes, Gabriel Terran and Josh Bartold, trained all season but were unable to compete.
Competing in advanced division 1: Townley won bronze in slalom, silver in GS and super G. In Advanced Division 4: Kellem received a participation award in slalom, bronze in in GS and silver in super G. Johnson won bronze in slalom, sixth in GS and fifth in super G.
Competing in advanced intermediate division 7: Riley placed seventh in slalom, received a participation award in GS and won silver in super G. In Division 8: Kirpan won bronze in slalom, silver in GS and super G.
Competing in their respective divisions on the intermediate course: Lansky placed seventh in slalom, GS and super G. McQuiston won bronze in slalom, gold in GS and super G. Volmer won gold in slalom and super G, silver in GS.
In the novice division: Zeccinelli won bronze in slalom. New team member Campbell, competing in his first Special Olympic Winter Games, won gold in slalom and silver in GS and super G.
The athletes and parents thanked head coach Henry Erickson, course coach Norm Staunton, Vermont Adaptive program coordinator at Sugarbush North Olivia Joseph, Vermont Adaptive’s Sugarbush North interns Todd and Matt, and the many volunteers at Vermont Adaptive who individually coached athletes all season.
“Most importantly, we extend our deepest gratitude to Sugarbush for their continued generosity in supporting our team,” said spokesperson Ellen Riley.
For more information about Vermont Adaptive and how to become involved, visit www.vermontadaptive.org or call Olivia Joseph, program coordinator at Sugarbush North, (802) 786-4991, ext. 26.
