1/5/04 - Alaska Ski for Women
News Release
Anchorage, Alaska – Jan. 5, 2004
Anchorage, Alaska, Home To Nation’s Largest Women-Only Ski Event
While football fans around the country watch two top teams in the United States battle for first place in the National Football League (NFL), women of all ages will be gathering in Anchorage, Alaska, on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1, 2004, for the 8th Annual Ski for Women, the largest, women-only ski event in the United States.
The Alaska Ski for Women began in 1997 to raise awareness and funds for the Abused Women’s Aid In Crisis (AWAIC) program in Anchorage, Alaska. Event organizers chose Super Bowl Sunday for the annual ski event to draw attention to the fact that when people gather to celebrate at home – such as holidays or large sporting events – it is often stressful, which can contribute to domestic violence. More than 1,500 women turned out to support the 2003 event, and organizers expect even more in 2004.
The 4 km ski, located at Kincaid Park, focuses on fun for participants rather than competition. Women of all ages and abilities ski in teams of two in classic/diagonal or skate/freestyle events. Awards are given to the top three finishing teams in each of three categories: Mother and Daughter, Relatives (sisters, aunts, nieces, etc.) and Friends. Women who do not have someone to ski with are matched with another single. The festive event includes refreshments, awards, door prizes, and a silent auction.
The 1,400-acre Kincaid Park is one of two Nordic ski areas in the United States certified for international competition and features a maze of unpaved trails for year-round use. Kincaid Park has been the site of many local, national and international cross-country ski events, including World Cup races, World Masters Championships, U.S. Biathlon Championships, and North American Biathlon Championships, to name a few. Skiers are treated to spectacular views of Cook Inlet, Mt. Susitna and Fire Island to the west, Mt. Foraker and Mt. McKinley to the north, and the Chugach Mountains to the east.
For more information about the Alaska Ski for Women, visit www.alaskaskiforwomen.org. For information about Anchorage, explore www.anchorage.net, or call 1-800-478-1255 to order a free 2004 Official Anchorage Visitors Guide.
Contacts:
Erika Biringer, Public Relations Manager
(907) 257-2331
esiegel@anchorage.net
Explore www.anchorage.net
Nance Larsen, Director of Communications
(907) 257-2310
nlarsen@anchorage.net
Explore www.anchorage.net
