PORTLAND -- Special Olympics athletes from Maine will celebrate their journey to the 2009 World Winter Games tonight with a pizza party, and then it will be off to Idaho to represent the state in this awesome event.

Four athletes from Maine will fly from Portland early in the morning tomorrow and will join 330 other U.S. athletes in Washington, D.C., before departing for Idaho. Overall, nearly 2,500 athletes from 104 countries will compete in the games.

Maine will be represented by Jackie Contino, 17, from Bangor, who is an alpine skier; Joshua Brosious, 22, from Hartford, a nordic skier; Caitlyn Gunn, 24, of Newburgh, a speed skater and Dalton Kinney, 17, from Nobleboro who is a snowshoer.

The World Games open on Saturday, Feb. 7. Closing ceremonies are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13.

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