Alpine Skiers Head to La Molina for World Cup

Athletes from all around the world are making their way to the ski resort town of La Molina, Spain for the 2009 IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup. Taking place from 12-15 January, the competition continues the pre-Paralympic Alpine Skiing season.

The 2009 IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup in La Molina follows the successful IPC Alpine Skiing European Cups in Pitztal, Austria and Kuehtai, Austria, and is organized by the Federation Catalana Esports Minusvalids Fisics (FCEDF).

The World Cup competition will be preceded by a 1st Team captain meeting at the Aparthotel Guitart La Molina on 11 January. Further meetings will occur on the following three days.

Competitions will include 1st and 2nd Giant Slalom on 12-13 January, and 1st and 2nd Slalom on 14-15 January. Award ceremonies will take place also on 14-15 January at the Town Council Congress of Alp and the Aixopluc building respectively.

Over 100 male and female athletes from 15 different countries will be in La Molina for the 2009 IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup competing in three different classes – sitting, standing and visually impaired.

Some notable athletes who will be competing include Martin Braxenthaler (GER) and Lauren Woolstencroft (CAN) who won at the 2008 IPC Alpine Skiing European Cup in Pitztal. Several athletes who were successful at the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games will also be in La Molina, including Chris Devlin-Young (USA), Laurie Stephens (USA), Kuniko Obinata (JAP), Gianmaria Dal Maistro (ITA), Nicolas Berejny (FRA), Radomir Dudas (SVK) and Toby Kane (USA).

La Molina is located in the Spanish region of Catalonia in the Pyrenean Mountains and has the oldest ski resort in Spain. The resort is directly southeast of the independent state of Andorra, 175 kilometres from Barcelona’s International Airport.