CASP National Summit Commences
New home base established for adaptive snow sports programs in Canada.
January 27, 2009
January 27, 2009, Grouse Mountain, North Vancouver, B.C. – The Canadian Snowboard Federation (CSF) is launching the Canadian Adaptive Snowboard Program (CASP) National Summit at Grouse Mountain from January 27 to 30, 2009. The comprehensive CASP program consists of athlete development camps, adaptive snowboarding competitions, and training opportunities for coaches. Adaptive snow sports enthusiasts and aspiring Paralympic athletes from around the world will also train and compete in the CASP National Championship, a single-person snowboard cross race. Athletes will race down the prepared track at Grouse Mountain on January 29, and prizes will be awarded to the top three male and female competitors.
Grouse Mountain has a strong tradition of supporting adaptive snow sport programs, and the new partnership with CASP establishes the resort as a national training centre and competition venue for the CSF. Events such as the CASP National Summit are a significant element in the development of the foundation requirements to include Adaptive Snowboarding into the Paralympic Winter Games.
Adaptive Snowboarding refers to a modified version of the sport, with changes in equipment, rules, and technical specifications that enable persons with physical disabilities to participate in both recreational and competitive activities. Snowboarders who have become disabled and others who live with a disability want to be a part of the sport, recreation, and lifestyle that is snowboarding. The CSF recognizes this interest and, as the national governing body for the sport of snowboarding, is addressing it through the CASP.
The Summit this week will also include a sport building workshop convening nationwide athletes, coaches, instructors and administrators to discuss the continued development of adaptive snowboarding, with a focus on issues such as: recruitment and grass roots development, provincial and national opportunities, international involvement, classification and competition formats.