JOHNSTOWN —
Game on.
More than 300 athletes eager to show off their skills, along with 135 coaches, will be coming to the region to take part in the 2012 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Winter Games.
The statewide competition is returning to the Johnstown area this weekend for the 11th consecutive year.
Opening ceremonies are set for 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Central Park in downtown Johnstown.
Athletes will gather at the Holiday Inn-Downtown and proceed to Central Park to participate in festivities. The ceremony will feature speakers and performances and will culminate with the lighting of the Olympic Torch.
Competition will officially begin Monday and continue through Tuesday.
There will be alpine skiing at Hidden Valley Four Seasons Resort, cross-country skiing and showshoeing at Blue Knob Four Seasons Resort, figure skating at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena and speed skating at Planet Ice in Richland Township.
Awards and closing ceremonies will be held Tuesday at each venue.
The games also will be a qualifying event for the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games, which will be held Jan. 26 through Feb. 6 in Seoul, South Korea. Four athletes will be chosen at random to be a part of Team USA and participate in the world games.
Held in conjunction with the games, the first official Laurel Highlands Polar Plunge will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Quemahoning Reservoir in Boswell. Registration for the plunge is at 9:30 a.m.
More than 100 people are expected to be “freezin’ for a reason” as they take part in the plunge with all proceeds benefiting Western Pennsylvania Special Olympics athletes.
The plunge is open to the public and spectators are welcome free of charge.
For more information on all events, visit www.specialolympicspa.org.
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