SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
WHAT: The Reno Tahoe Winter Games Coalition (RTWGC) is committed to honoring premier athletes, coaches and sports pioneers for their accomplishments and contributions to our community and the International Sports Hall of Fame Dinner Gala is designed to recognize these accomplishments. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the RTWGC.
Inductees include:
· Alex Cushing: As the principal in Squaw Valley Ski Corporation, Cushing persuaded Olympic leaders to hold the 1960 Winter Games at Squaw Valley and put not only Squaw Valley USA but Lake Tahoe on the map. Cushing died in 2006 at age 92.
· Lynette Davis: A longtime Elko High School girls basketball coach, she started her career in 1971 (Carlin High School) before the passage of Title IX in 1972. Career highlights include: an overall record of 580-165, won a combined eight state basketball titles and became one of two female athletic directors in the Northern 4A in 2004.
· Shane McConkey: The Squaw Valley-based skier began his career as a competitive ski racer and later moved on to extreme skiing. He is also known for his contributions to ski design and construction, specifically for the camber (or rocker) design, and the Volant Spatula and the K2 Pontoon skis. In 2009, the charismatic 39-year-old died while ski-BASE-ing in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains.
· Tamara McKinney: The alpine skier grew up in Squaw Valley and competed for the U.S. for 14 years on the World Cup circuit and in three Olympic Games. She was the first American woman to win the overall World Cup title and had 18 individual World Cup wins as part of her 99 podium finishes. McKinney retired from professional skiing in 1989.
· Wayne Poulsen: The Pan Am pilot and skier bought 640 acres of what became Squaw Valley Ski Resort from Union Pacific Railroad in the 1940s. In 1948, he and Cushing formed the Squaw Valley Development Corporation. The iconic resort would host the Winter Olympics just 12 years later. Poulsen died in 1995.
· Daron Rahlves: The Truckee resident has 28 World Cup podiums, seven U.S. National Titles, a 2001 World Championship in Super G and additional alpine skiing accomplishments that include four Olympic appearances. He retired from World Cup racing at the end of 2006, but competed in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games in ski cross.
· Franz Weber: An Olympian, six-time consecutive World Speed Skiing Champion and former world record-holder, Weber retired in 1985, but returned seven years later to compete in the 1992 Winter Olympics. Feeling he had achieved his speed skiing goals, he permanently retired from the sport following the 1992 Olympics.
WHEN: Friday, Nov.18, 2011 at 6 p.m.
WHERE: Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, 3800 S. Virginia St., Reno, Nev.
WHO: Formed in 2003 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the RTWGC’ s mission is to promote the Olympic Movement throughout Reno-Tahoe by hosting, facilitating, and embracing competitions and events showcasing the region’s ability to be a premier sports destination. The private and public sector supporters that comprise the RTWGC are committed to the mission of having Reno-Tahoe selected as the next North American region to host the Olympic Winter Games.
WHY: Reno-Tahoe has a proud history of producing world-class athletes including dozens of Olympians and Paralympians. Many of those athletes call Reno-Tahoe home and carry on our sporting legacy by helping develop the next generation of talent. The RTWGC is committed to honoring these premier athletes, coaches, and sports pioneers for their accomplishments and contributions to the region. The RTWGC’s International Sports Hall of Fame has been created to forever enshrine the best of our elite athletes and to celebrate their careers.
DETAILS: Reserve tickets by calling 775-622-1889 or visiting online www.renotahoewintergames.org.
