VENTURA, Calif., Feb. 27, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Four-time World Champion and Olympic gold medallist Scott Hamilton will host the Opening Ceremony of the Ventura County Special Olympics (VCSO) Ice Skating Tournament on Saturday, February 28 at 10:00 a.m. Mr. Hamilton is no stranger to Special Olympics, he currently serves as a member of the Special Olympics International Board of Directors.
"We are thrilled that Mr. Hamilton is joining us for our tournament, he is such an inspiration to our athletes," says Peggi Preston, VCSO Area Director. "Many of our athletes have grown up watching him and can't wait to meet him."
This first time qualifying event brings together over 45 of Southern California's top Special Olympics figure and speed skaters. Athletes who do well at this tournament will go on to the Special Olympics Southern California Winter Games in March and have the chance to earn a spot on the North America team for the 2005 Special Olympics World Games to be held in Nagano, Japan in 2005.
The event is being held at the Oxnard Skating Center located at 830 Wagon Wheel Road in Oxnard. The Opening Ceremony will start at 10:00 a.m. with competition immediately following. Awards and the Closing Ceremony are scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
Special Olympics Southern California serves over 11,000 children and adults with mental retardation in an eleven-county region of Southern California. The Ventura County program has over 700 athletes who compete throughout the year. The program offers training and competition in 23 individual and team sports on a year-round basis. Athletes range in age from eight to eighty. SOSC is one of 52 accredited Special Olympics entities operating in the United States. For more information about Special Olympics Southern California, please visit www.sosc.org.