Snowshoeing Snowshoeing is very similar to athletics and shares the same excellent cardiovascular workout as cross country skiing. Special Olympics Snowshoeing offers events for athletes of every ability level. Individual events offered in snowshoeing range from the 100 meter races to the 5K. In addition to these traditional events, Special Olympics offers events for lower ability level athletes to train and compete in basic snowshoeing skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to longer competitive events. Snowshoeing competition at the 2005 World Winter Games. [Photo by Kishimoto] Special Olympics snowshoeing has training and competition opportunities for individual and teams of Special Olympics athletes; as well as Special Olympics Unified Sports® teams. Special Olympics Unified Sports is a program that combines Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (partners) on sports teams for training and competition. In Unified Sports snowshoeing, relay teams ar made up of two Special Olympics athletes and two Unified Sport partners. The competitor order in the relay is up to the decision of the coach.. As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to ability level, age and gender. Snowshoeing Facts Special Olympics snowshoeing was inaugurated at the 1997 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Toronto, Canada. Snowshoeing was contested at the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Nagano, Japan with more than 150 athletes competing. As of the 2005 Special Olympics Athlete Participation Report, 17,629 Special Olympics athletes compete in snowshoeing. Snowshoeing Events 100 Meter Race 200 Meter Race 400 Meter Race 800 Meter Race 1600 Meter Race 5K Race 10K Race 4 x 100M Special Olympics Relay Race 4 x 400M Special Olympics Relay Race 4 x 100M Unified Sports Relay Race 4 x 400M Unified Sports Relay Race The following events provide meaningful competition for those athletes not yet able to compete in the other events/distances offered. 25 Meter Race 50 Meter Race