Boise State welcomes the Special Olympics Invitational

Athletes from all over the globe will be on campus this week for the Special Olympics Invitational Winter Games – a prelude to the Special Olympics World Winter Games, which will also be held in Idaho next year.

Approximately 365 athletes will compete from 11 different countries. United States participants are from Idaho, Montana, Washington and Rhode Island.

They will compete against athletes from Kuwait, Sweden, Denmark, China, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Iraq, Romania, Lebanon and Libya.

The five competitive events include alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding and floor hockey. The Opening Ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. Monday at Boise State’s Taco Bell Arena.

The floor hockey competition will be held at the Student Recreation Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 26 and 27, and 8 a.m. until noon on Feb. 28.

The Student Union Building will host the Special Olympics Town and the Healthy Athletes Program.

The Closing Ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Bronco Gymnasium.

Bogus Basin Ski Resort, Sun Valley Resort and Tamarack Resort will also host the outdoor events.

Both ceremonies and the floor hockey competition are free and open to the public, but seating is limited.

Tickets are required and can be obtained in advance or at the door for each of the events as well as the ceremonies.

Parking is available in the East Stadium parking lot, the Lincoln parking structure and the general parking lots south of University Drive.

Boise State will also be one of the venues for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, which will welcome 3,000 participants from 85 countries Feb. 6-13.

JENNY MCBRIDE
News Writer

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