It would be hard to find a more glowing testament of an event: “If you were to map out the whole United States where people are capable to survive, excel and succeed in sport, it is the National Ability Center. This place is magical, and it has done so much for me,” said Michael O’Hearn, the overall men’s champion of the 37th Huntsman Cup.
The competition sanctioned by the International Paralympic Committee — four days of slalom and giant slalom racing at Park City Mountain — each year brings together athletes from around world as a stepping stone to the national para ski team. The events ran from Monday through Thursday this week, adapting to the challenges of weather and snowpack conditions.
With the U.S. para team away for World Championships this week, the competing athletes totaled around 50 with groups from Canada, Japan, and Puerto Rico as well as the United States.
This year’s Huntsman Cup included a group of elite athletes with intellectual impairments called Athletes Without Limits, the first time the team has had access to compete in this country.
“Athletes Without Limits race in tons of other countries, but there’s never been a race in the U.S. So they asked us if we would be interested in providing that, and I couldn’t think of a reason why we wouldn’t,” said Tracy Meier, chief programming and education officer at the National Ability Center.
“For our athletes with physical disabilities, it helps them to gain those points, to race on a pretty amazing hill, and to hopefully be able to be prepared to travel internationally and to eventually make the national team. We’ve had so many athletes that come through the National Ability Center’s program to make the national team, to then hopefully make the Paralympics,” said Meier.
Athletes’ scores are based on factored times, which add or subtract time from their run based on the classification of their capability. Within the para side of the event, the classification system is broken into visual impairments, segmented based on what that person can see, standing categories and sitting categories. This year, the cup introduced a new category for intellectual impairments with the addition of a Vertus sanctioned race in the program.
Park City is a town of ski racing, said Meier, and the center is in place to ensure access for all people to continue with their dreams of competition. With warm weather affecting ski conditions this week, the Huntsman had to cancel races on Tuesday due to course rutting in slushy snow.
“The conditions Tuesday weren’t optimal, and races being canceled were a little out of our control, but that’s why we had two races Wednesday. It’s the world of adaptive skiing. We’re able to adapt, and the team did a great job with that, but they’ve been throwing salt, got out here super early, just doing everything they can to make it happen. So thankful we’re not going without our people,” said Meier.
Hailey Griffin, overall Huntsman Cup women’s champion this year, said she was able to thrive this week despite tricky course conditions because of her dedication and love for all mountain skiing.
“I learned how to ski all mountain first,” said Griffin as she adapted to para monoskiing after a spinal cord injury six years ago. “I thought that was really important before starting to race. I knew I wanted to race, but I just really wanted to become a good skier first.”
“I just really always promote that, to go free skiing it’s not all about gates. And I think that’s really why I did well this week, because the conditions were pretty horrible, but that didn’t get in my head at all this week because I’m used to that stuff,” she said.
Griffin travels between Park City and her home in Peonia every week, balancing training four days a week with her coaches at the National Ability Center with spending time with her son back in Colorado.
“I’m obsessed,” said Griffin. “This is my life. I’m hoping to make the national team by the end of this season and go to the Paralympics next year.”
Griffin shares these goals with teammate and fellow men’s champion, Michael O’Hearn.
“My biggest aspirations are to be named to the national team and represent America and showcase the capabilities behind a disability,” said O’Hearn. “I’m out here because I’m a ski racer. It’s what I love to do.”
For O’Hearn and his teammates, competing is about capability and strength. It is emotional, it is empathetic and inspiring, he said. The National Ability Center has embedded this mantra of capability into the team and their mentality when competing.
“They’ve embedded that in our outlooks on life and how we approach sport and everyday life. NAC is more than this, a race team, but it is a family,” said O’Hearn. “Feel our stories and be empowered by them.”
“Our coaches are amazing,” said Griffin. “But there aren’t many mono ski coaches who are in mono skis themselves. And everybody’s injury is different, but I really think someone who has actually experienced it can teach that much more.”
“I think behind every adaptive skier, you’re going to find these values. You’re going to find alchemy, tenacity and perseverance,” said O’Hearn. “It’s all about displaying to yourself that you’re more than your disability, and your disability is not defying you, does not limit you, but you are empowered by it, and what you can do with that, you can shred, you can carve, and you can win podiums, win medals, everything.”
“Disability doesn’t discriminate, right? One in four Americans has a disability, so adaptive sports programs are needed and will continue to be needed without a doubt,” said Meier.
