CHALLENGE ASPEN COMPETITION TEAM PROUDLY ANNOUNCES ADDITION OF COACH JOHN “JOHNO” MCBRIDE, U.S. SKI TEAM COACH AND FORMER COACH TO BODE MILLER

Aspen, Colo. (January 16, 2009) - Kevin Jardine, Challenge Aspen Director of Competition and recent recipient of the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Leadership Award, is proud to announce the recent hiring of John ‘Johno’ McBride, an Aspen local and one of the most high-profile and successful U.S. Ski Team coaches in history, according to Jardine. “‘Johno’ is an incredible coach and a huge asset to the Challenge Aspen program and Competition Team.” McBride most recently served as personal coach to well-known Olympian Bode Miller, coaching Miller to his second World Cup overall title in Italy last spring. “What an honor to get to work with Johno to take this team to the next level and build the strongest disabled alpine competition program possible,” adds Jardine. McBride will join Jardine, bringing his notable expertise to the year-round Challenge Aspen Competition Team Training Program with the goal of developing, training, producing and supporting the best Disabled Ski Racing Team possible. Prior to 2008, Johno McBride spent more than a decade deeply involved with the U.S. Ski Team, including his position as Head Coach for the Men’s Downhill Team.

“I’m delighted to be with Challenge Aspen. Coaching is about bringing out the best in whomever you’re with,” says McBride. “This opportunity offers a really unique challenge as a coach because everyone’s strengths and limitations are different and no two people are alike. That’s a specific challenge as a coach. I’m so fortunate to get to work in a sport that I love, coach amazing athletes and still be home with my wife and kids, after 14 years,” he adds.

Challenge Aspen expanded programs substantially in 2006, creating a Competition Team and adding Kevin Jardine, 2006 USSA International Disabled Coach of the Year, to the staff as Challenge Aspen Director of Competition. Jardine and Houston Cowan, CEO and Co-Founder of Challenge Aspen, set in motion a world-class competition program with the straightforward mission of working to empower athletes with physical disabilities to reach their maximum athletic and personal potential through education, communication and teamwork. In just two short years since the creation of the Challenge Aspen Competition Team, Challenge Aspen athletes have become internationally known competitors, medaling in national and international competitions, including the Paralympics and World Championships.