FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The 2011 Junior Olympics Are Coming to Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis

The 2011 Cross Country Skiing Junior Olympics will be held in Minneapolis at Theodore Wirth Park, March 6th through 12th .

This will be the first time a Junior Olympics has been held in the heart of a major metropolitan area. The racers will be challenged by steep hills and sharp turns along the 35 kilometers of groomed trails nestled in 759 acres of wooded landscape at Theodore Wirth Park, the winter sports center of the Minneapolis park system.

The 2011 Junior Olympics are made possible by the team of Mortenson Construction, Parsons Electric¸ Metropolitan Mechanical Contractors and Cities97.

The Junior Olympics is sponsored by the City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation and the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA).

The Junior Olympics

The USSA Junior Olympics serves as the national championships for cross country skiers ages 15-20. There are three age classes of competitors: J2, ages 15-16; J1, ages 17-18; and OJ, ages 19-20. Athletes compete as members of one of ten regional teams: New England, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, Midwest, Rocky Mountain, Inter-Mountain, High Plains, Far West, Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Skiers must qualify for their regional team by competing against their peers in races designated for that purpose, thereby ensuring that those racing at the Junior Olympics are the best that each region has to offer. Most of our nation’s Olympic Team skiers have competed or won at the Junior Olympics, so this is a chance to see tomorrow’s heroes.

Schedule and Events

• Sunday, March 6 – Opening ceremonies in the Crystal Court of the IDS Center in downtown Minneapolis
• Monday, March 7 – Freestyle Sprint Competition
• Wednesday, March 9 – Classic Mass Start, Mid-Week Awards Ceremony
• Friday, March 11 – Freestyle Individual Start
• Saturday, March 12 – Classic Relays, Closing Ceremonies

Like the Junior Olympics’ namesake, there is more to this event than just the competition. For the first time, all the athletes will be staying in one hotel, The Marriott City Center, our “athlete’s village.” Many downtown social events are planned during the week for the athletes and their parents.

A Car-Free Event

Parents who fly to the Twin Cities will be encouraged to use transit or walking for all of their local transportation needs. In addition to the Hiawatha light rail line from the airport, the Junior Olympics will provide shuttle bus service between the Marriott City Center and Wirth Park, so a car will not be needed. This will be the first Junior Olympics that visitors won’t need a car.

Theodore Wirth Park Winter Recreation Area

Theodore Wirth Park is becoming the hub of Minneapolis activity for aerobic sports such as cross country skiing, mountain biking, hiking, trail running and in-line skating. Several physical improvements have been made to the park in recent years and many more are planned for 2011 and 2012. To prepare to host the Junior Olympics, snow-making capability was introduced, 450 meters of competition trail were added to make a full five-kilometer loop in the northern hills, the start-finish area was enhanced, and trail signs were installed. The City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation has created a citizens advisory committee to help the Minneapolis Park Board raise private and public funds and design these many improvements. A detailed plan for Wirth Park improvements is available on the Internet at http://www.loppet.org/trails.php.

Spectators’ Parking

All spectator and media parking will occur just off site at the Breck-Anderson Ice Arena, 4210 Olson Memorial Highway (Highway 55), just west of the entrance to Theodore Wirth Park (which is on Theodore Wirth Parkway). A shuttle bus will run between the parking and the Theodore Wirth chalet, but the parking is also within walking distance.