Ten athletes and one coach of Special Olympics Québec will be part of the national team at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games which will be held in Boise, Idaho, U.S.A., from February 7 to 13.  

Québec special athletes Maxime Boyer from Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts (alpine skiing), Michaël Gilbert from Saint-Donat (alpine skiing), Simon Dionne from Trois-Rivières (figure skating), Vicky Dupont from Rawdon (figure skating), Zane Salera-Nasra from Montréal (figure skating), Jean-François Leclerc from Québec City (snowshoeing), Nancy Leduc from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (snowshoeing), Catia Miele from Blainville (snowshoeing) and Michaël Bisaillon-Goudreau from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (snowshoeing) as well as ski coach Michel Guyon from St-Bruno will be among the 81 athletes, 21 coaches and 13 mission staff members who will represent our country at these upcoming Games.

The selection of the ten athletes was based on their performance at the last Special Olympics Canada National Winter Games held in Québec City in February 2008. This is Québec’s largest representation at the World Winter Games since their inception in 1977.

During the seven-day sporting event, as many as 3,000 athletes from 85 countries will compete in seven winter sports. In addition to the snowboarding events, Canadian athletes will take part in the alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing and speed skating competitions.

www.2009worldgames.org