Dec 1, 2010 | Marmot, Winter 2010

The Snow Leopard returns to Mount Washington Alpine Resort this winter

Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, known around the world as the Snow Leopard, is the only Winter Olympic athlete to represent the African country of Ghana.

Last year he trained on Mount Washington before competing in the men’s downhill skiing event at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler, B.C.

This year, Tourism Mount Washington (TMW) and Mount Washington Alpine Resort will be bringing the Snow Leopard back. And he’s coming with a contingent of up-and-coming Ghanaian winter athletes.
“Mount Washington is his preferred training ground for his ongoing Ghana Ski Team,” TMW Co-ordinator Sarah Nicholson said.

In November, Kwame launched the Ghana Winter Sports Association and plans to open the first-ever dry ski slope built in Sub-Saharan West Africa.

In January, Kwame will bring a snowboarder and a Nordic skier with him to train at Mount Washington “and potentially two kids who have never seen snow before,” Nicholson said.

Nicholson met Kwame at the London Ski Show last year, and worked to bring him to Mount Washington prior to the Winter Olympics. This past fall he opened a stand at the same show beside Mount Washington’s.
Nicholson is positive the continuing relationship will benefit Mount Washington Alpine Resort and the Comox Valley.
“It will score ongoing media attention for Mount Washington and the Resort community,” she said.

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