Heavenly Foundation athletes Anna Park and Whitney Gardner to represent Lake Tahoe in Italy

The Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation is proud to announce that two of our Foundation athletes have received invitations to attend the Junior Worlds to be held in Valmalenco, Italy March 20-24, 2012.

“The Foundation is very proud to have two athletes at this year’s Junior World event,” said Jim Plake, Foundation president. “All of our athletes have had an amazing season and this just tops it off.”

Representing the Heavenly Freestyle Team in singles moguls and dual moguls will be Anna Park. Park is 14 years old and a ninth grader at Harper Junior High in Davis, Calif. After a stunning performance at the US Freestyle Selections event in December 2011, Park was named to the US Freestyle Nor Am Team and was the youngest competitor on this year’s tour. Park has been training with the Heavenly Freestyle Team under Coach Jere Crawford for the past three years and skiing for eleven. In order to receive the invitation for Junior Worlds, Park had to be ranked in the top four US athletes for freestyle aged 19 and under.

Representing the Heavenly Alpine Team in skiercross will be Whitney Gardner. Gardner is 18 years old and a senior at Whittell High School in Gardnerville, Nev. Gardner’s recent 4th place finish in the skiercross event at the Grand Prix qualified her for her Junior World invitation. The most important piece from these results is that Gardner will be on the 2012-13 World Cup start list. Gardner has been training with the Heavenly Alpine Team under Coach Noel Dufty for the past six years and has been an athlete at the Foundation since age 6.

The Foundation is proud to recognize our Freestyle Team athletes who will be attending Far West Junior Olympics in Steamboat, Colo. March 5-11; Sage Wright, Taryn Baker, Anna Park, Gabbi Fisher, and Shanti Payne. As well as our Alpine Team J-3 athletes who will be attending Far West Junior Championships in Big Sky, Mont. March 15-18; Austin Allen, Maia Bickert, Mikaela Clothier, and Natalie Williams. The Foundation’s only J-2 Alpine athlete, Hughston Norton, has qualified for the J-2 Nationals in Schweitzer, Id. March 6-11. Norton is working his way towards a possible invite to the US Developmental Team in the next few years. Two of the J-4 boys received invitations to the Performance Camp, congratulations to Payton Norton and Dylan Gooding.

About the Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation
The Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation is committed to facilitating and leading the local community in the development of programs to encourage youth to participate in winter sports, alpine skiing and snowboarding. The HSSF operates independently on donations and fundraisers. In addition to providing a safe skiing and riding experience to those within the foundation, outreach and community involvement also play a big part of the base of the Foundation. Throughout the winter season the HSSF provides scholarships to families whose children would not be able to participate in the race program; hosts a non-race Blue Angels program through the middle school; works with the SOS (Snowsports Outreach Society); works with the Boys and Girls Club of South Lake Tahoe; and organizes multiple events, like the Kinder Kup race series, and fundraisers including the annual spring wine gala, Grapes and Gates, at Edgewood. For more information on the Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation visit www.heavenlyfoundationteam.org, email aimix@heavenlyfoundationteam.org or call the administrative offices at 530.541.7354.