Special Olympics Snowshoeing is a series of events where competitors with physical or mental disabilities race while wearing snowshoes.

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. It shares the same excellent cardiovascular workout as cross country skiing. As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to ability level, age and gender.

The goal of snowshoeing is the be the first competitor to cross a designated distance.

In 1997, snowshoeing was introduced to the Special Olympics at the World Winter Games in Toronto, Canada. At the 2005 World Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, 150 athletes competed in the sport; however, the popularity greatly increased and in that same year, there were more than 17,000 active Special Olympics athletes competing in snowshoeing.

Boots
Snowshoes

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 are 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..

Bindings - attach the snowshoes to the boot

Frames - the structural foundation of the boot made of either wood or metal

Decking - material within the frame which enables the shoe to float on the snow

http://www.backpacking.net/winter.html
http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Website/English/Coach/Sports_Offered/Snowshoeing.htm