Breckenridge, CO – Disabled Sports USA (DSUSA) will host the 26th Annual The Hartford Ski Spectacular Dec. 2-8 at Beaver Run Resort and Breckenridge Ski Resort. The seven-day event, sponsored by insurer The Hartford, is one of the nation’s largest winter sports festivals for individuals with physical disabilities. More than 800 participants, ranging in ability from first-time skiers to members of the U.S. Paralympics National Teams, will come together.

The Hartford Ski Spectacular strengthens and expands adaptive snow sports programs in communities throughout the U.S. and helps identify and train youth, wounded warriors, and others with disabilities who strive to be winter Paralympians. A week of ski and snowboard race training, sponsored by U.S. Paralympics, prepares athletes for national and international competitions, including the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

“As a founding partner of U.S. Paralympics, The Hartford is proud to partner with Disabled Sports USA for two decades on this incredible event that has become a birthplace of champions,” said Mike Concannon, executive vice president of The Hartford’s Group Benefits business. “We are honored to support all of the amazing U.S. Paralympic athletes and hopefuls.”

“U.S. Paralympics is proud to support The Hartford Ski Spectacular,” said Charlie Huebner, chief of U.S. Paralympics. “Many of the athletes skiing and snowboarding at this event will be representing the U.S. at the Paralympic Winter Games in March in Sochi, Russia.”

The Hartford Ski Spectacular’s Presenting Sponsor is U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, which provides grant funding through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The grants are provided to facilitate the growth of Paralympic sport programming for disabled Veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces. The event is also sponsored by Wash Depot Holdings; Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation; Team Semper Fi; Tee it up for the Troops; Oshkosh Defense; Fluor; Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center and Breckenridge Ski Resort.

“We are very proud to be a partner of U.S. Paralympics,” said Kirk Bauer, executive director of Disabled Sports USA. “Paralympic athletes are not only training at The Hartford Ski Spectacular, but they are also coaching and mentoring wounded warriors and youth who are coming to the event to improve their skills.”