The Wells Fargo Ski Cup boasts the longest running professional ski race in the country and serves as a major fundraiser for the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD). The weekend’s fundraising efforts bring in more than $250,000 to support summer and winter therapeutic recreation programs for children and adults with disabilities. 2018 commemorates the 43rd consecutive year of Wells Fargo’s support of this event.  Hundreds of skiers, racers and top athletes will compete this weekend for fun, bragging rights and some cash. This weekend is a great time to get out and support this organization and see the top disabled racers in the world come together in Winter Park.

“This year, we are excited to welcome some new sponsors and athletes” said Diane Eustace Director of Operations and Communications. “We are grateful to our sponsors who make this weekend possible including Wells Fargo, Haynes & Boone LLC, and Winter Park Resort.”

If you are not familiar with the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD), it is one of the largest outdoor therapeutic recreation and adaptive sports agencies in the world, based out of Winter Park Resort and Mile High Stadium in Colorado. The NSCD began in 1970, providing ski lessons for children with amputations from Children’s Hospital of Denver. Each year, more than 3,000 children and adults with disabilities participate in their programs to learn more about sports and themselves. With specially trained staff and volunteers, and its own adaptive equipment lab, the NSCD teaches a variety of year-round sports and activities to individuals with almost any physical, cognitive, emotional or behavioral diagnosis.  The programs and structure has been duplicated in countries around the world and touched the lives of more than is imaginable.

Here’s a snapshot of this weekend’s events:

Day One: Wells Fargo Ski Cup Weekend Begins

Guests and racers arrive at Winter Park Resort. Corporate Challenge race teams take their qualifying runs. All racers MUST complete a qualifying run on Friday or Saturday morning of the event weekend. Racers are also encouraged to take advantage of our racer clinic with one of our NSCD Competition Center coaches. This is a great opportunity to get tips on racing technique. There is also a chance to experience hitting the slopes like one of our Competition Center athletes by getting in a sit ski and taking to the mountain. Friday night, Corporate Challenge teams come together for dinner in West Portal. The Friday night dinner is an opportunity for all teams to mingle and meet with the NSCD athlete who will be on their team for the Corporate Challenge.

Day Two: The Corporate Challenge

The Corporate Challenge is the highlight of the event weekend. All teams are randomly grouped into heats. The top nine teams compete in the semi-finals and the top three teams move on to the finals. The NSCD Competition Center athlete on the top three teams win a cash prize to help them finance their training for the 2018 Paralympics.

Day Three: Kids Snowplow Sprint and the Sarah Holm Memorial World Disabled Invitational

Sunday the kids get in on the action! Kids of Wells Fargo Ski Cup guests, ages 5-12, race the same course as the professionals and are joined by mascots from Winter Park and Colorado sports teams in the Kids Snowplow Sprint.  Capping off the weekend on Sunday is the Sarah Holm Memorial World Disabled Invitational where Professional athletes from around the world compete for cash prizes in a race unlike any other.  

Other weekend events include a two-day silent auction, Wells Fargo hospitality tent, tubing, ice sculptures, and the Ski for NSCD Pledge Drive.