The World Comes to Maine! Weekly Column

Weekly Column

The world comes to Maine!

Nothing sums up the special excitement of an international athletic competition more than the phrase that is heard again and again during Olympic and World Cup events. The world comes to Salt Lake City. The world comes to Sydney. The world comes to Lillehammer. From those few words, we understand the essential unity of all people in all nations. We may be separated by oceans, time zones, languages, and customs, but we are bound together by our shared admiration for those who strive for excellence.

And now, the world has come to Maine! Fort Kent recently hosted nearly one hundred world-class competitors during the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic World Championship. Top athletes with disabilities from around the world traveled to Maine to compete in biathlon and cross country events. And hundreds of visitors and residents of Fort Kent had the opportunity to watch those remarkable athletes compete.

I was honored to join the festivities during the closing ceremonies at the Fort Kent SportsCenter. During the reception, I had the opportunity to meet some incredibly inspiring world-class athletes and dedicated volunteers. Like all outstanding athletes, these athletes strive to surpass the previous records and limits of their sports. But these athletes must also strive to surpass other limits associated with their disabilities. The strength of their characters and their determination amaze me. The fire of their spirit shines brightly.

The athletes also impressed the hundreds of spectators who traveled to northern Maine for one of the largest Nordic competitions of the year. Among the fans were enthusiastic students from across Aroostook County cheering for the athletes. Nearly 100 top athletes from 17 countries competed in long, middle, short distance, and relay cross country races. The events were divided into three classes: sit-ski, standing, and visually-impaired.

Nordic Skiing competitions sponsored by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), such as this one, are open to athletes with a physical disability or a visual impairment. The IPC is the international governing body of sports for athletes with a disability.

Fort Kent was chosen as the location for this high-profile event by the International Paralympic Committee because of the hard work of so many local volunteers. The committee was impressed by Fort Kent when it hosted the Biathlon World Cup last year and was confident that it could successfully host the IPC competitions.

An astounding army of volunteers, totalling close to 400 and led by Nancy Thibodeau, worked hard to make the games an extraordinary success. Fort Kent has earned the title, "The Little Town That Could." It is a remarkable community.

The members of the 10th Mountain Ski Club have worked extraordinarily hard to re-establish Nordic skiing as a popular sport in the St. John Valley. They have created one of the top facilities in the world, making this great activity available to young and old alike.

With all our state has to offer, I am hopeful that it will not be long before the world comes to Maine again.

http://collins.senate.gov/low/crecord.cfm?id=234543