The Special Olympics Vermont Winter Games are coming to Woodstock this weekend, March 4-6th. Competition events including alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing will take place at Suicide Six. In total, 411 athletes and partners representing all of Vermont’s counties will demonstrate their abilities on the mountain.
Among those athletes is 11 year old, Austie Babcock. Austie was named Special Olympics Vermont’s 2015 Most Improved Athlete of the Year, and will compete in intermediate snowboarding at the Winter Games. In addition to snowboarding, Austie has competed in bocce, snowshoeing and track for Special Olympics. “My favorite part of competing in Winter Games is having fun,” reports Austie. “I also enjoy the anthem because it reminds me of how hard people work for the Winter Games. I really look forward to the dance that happens every year!”
Austie comes to Winter Games with a lot of snowboarding experience, having competed at the Dartmouth Skiway, Waterville Valley, and Suicide Six with her team from Rivendell Academy. This weekend, she is looking forward to, “having fun competing against my friends and also learning from my teammates and coaches to make me a better snowboarder.”
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