The second edition of the WINTER TALENT DAY on January 18th in Hinterstoder is just around the corner and everyone involved is already looking forward to it. The Austrian Paralympic Committee and Ski Austria invite children and young people aged 6 to 20 to test out three Paralympic sports. The motto: Winning has no handicap.
On January 18th there will be a lot of activity in Hinterstoder again. Thanks to the collaboration with Ski Austria, children and young people can try out three different Paralympic winter sports under professional guidance at the activity stations: Para-Alpine skiing, Para-cross-country skiing, Para-snowboarding.
“At the premiere last year, the enthusiasm was palpable and contagious; the feedback from the participants and accompanying people was: I’d love to do it again. We complied with this wish. Thanks to Ski Austria for the great cooperation, only together can we create the perfect framework conditions,” says ÖPC President Maria Rauch-Kallat.
Stars as supporters
Ski Austria, the Austrian Paralympic Committee and TALENT DAY have one thing in common: they stand for inclusion. Ski Austria President Roswitha Stadlober is enthusiastic about the continuation of the joint project: “Since the premiere in 2024 it has been clear: the WINTER TALENT DAY in Hinterstoder in cooperation with the ÖPC is a great initiative to bring the fascination to children with physical and visual disabilities of winter sports. Sport knows no boundaries and this day offers the opportunity to try out many things and discover hidden talents. Inclusion is an important topic for Ski Austria and the WINTER TALENT DAY is a prime example of how to live this out.”
In addition to the unique opportunity to get to know three Paralympic sports, participants can also meet Paralympics stars. The local top athletes, led by the Aigner ski family with the World Cup dominators Johannes and Veronika, as well as Markus Salcher, Nico Pajantschitsch and Rene Eckhart, do not miss the opportunity to actively participate in the winter sports day under the banner of the “Next Generation”. to accompany. All of them – and a few more – support the participants at the activity stations with valuable tips and assistance and share their enthusiasm for the sport.
“There is enough talent”
The medical technology company ottobock, a long-standing partner of the ÖPC, supports the WINTER TALENT DAY 2025 with concentrated expertise and provides sports prostheses and equipment on site. ÖPC sponsor Samsung is also supporting the future project with 30,000 euros collected as part of the “Samsung Ultra Ice Challenge”.
“We all started small. There is enough talent in Austria, we just have to find them and get them excited about the sport. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which sport you choose, any form of exercise is good,” says double Paralympic champion Johannes Aigner. “I’m looking forward to giving the children and young people a few tips.”
The WINTER TALENT DAY is free for participants. You only have to take care of travel, equipment and clothing yourself – the lift ticket is provided. Not only future athletes are welcome, but also their accompanying persons: Parents and anyone interested will have the opportunity to exchange ideas.
ÖPC General Secretary Petra Huber emphasizes: “After the successful first edition, we know the local conditions better and know exactly what to expect. We analyzed the feedback from last year, improved a few things in preparation and are confident that we can take WINTER TALENT DAY to a new level again this year.”
All information and the registration form are available at https://talent-day.at. Registrations are still possible until January 12th.