TEAGAN LOCKWOOD

Our most recent Champion awarded Nov 2024

Our newest Lucky Racer Champion, Teagan Lockwood, based in Fairbanks, Alaska, has been an active participant in Special Olympics since 2015, excelling in Alpine skiing and engaging in athletics, gymnastics, and starting golf in the summer of 2024. Despite injuries, including an ACL tear and ankle tendon injury, Teagan displays resilience and bravery, returning to skiing after surgeries and rehabilitation. Named the Special Olympics Alaska Female Athlete of the Year in 2021 and earning a varsity letter in cheerleading, she demonstrates her commitment to excellence.

Outside of sports, Teagan is an accomplished dancer, having performed internationally and at renowned venues like Disneyland and Universal Studios. Inspired by Lindsey Vonn, she embodies traits of hard work, strength and self-belief. As she prepares to represent Alaska, the United States and her family at the Special Olympics World Winter Games, Teagan eagerly anticipates meeting new friends and showcasing her skills while staying active through skiing, dancing, biking and gym workouts. Follow her at https://www.facebook.com/teamteaganak

JULIA

Our biggest supporter of our Champions so we made her a Champion in 2024

Julia is our 2024 Luck Racer Champion. She has been such a great supporter of all our champions it was an easy choice to make her a Champion too.
Julia’s First Nastar Nationals 2024 Snowmass, CO
Julia skied to 7th place in the 10-11yr old GOLD group. Difficult warm conditions and a tough course set made for a tough day. Local kids who likely train on that tough hill had a big advantage. She will be working hard to step it up next year!
2025 - Jan 26th Julia wins “Princess” of the Hill at the annual Perfect North Slopes (Fastest under 18 female!) Wooo Hooo - That’s our Champion!

SIERRA

PROUD to INTRODUCE our 2023/2024 LUCKY RACER CHAMPION

THING IS....Sierra has been a CHAMPION way before LUCKY RACER.....Sierra has been one of our number one cheerleaders for our Ambassadors, the program and her ski peers on and off the slopes! She is consistently striving to help other racers and has improved her own racing to a high level. We are excited to watch this aspiring Jr. Racer's journey! WATCH OUT...Mikaela Shriffin, you have a Speedy Gonzalez in the making....Soars with a loud ROAR!!
Sierra’s First Nastar Nationals 2024 Snowmass, CO
Sierra really enjoyed racing at nationals. Having to wait until Friday to race proved challenging for a girl who couldn’t wait for her day to come. The course set proved challenging with a left footer for the fourth gate set atop a knoll that also fell away to skiers left. Unfortunately Friday was a hot day with a delayed start. By the third run when Sierra figured out her line, the bottom half of the course couldn’t provide the speed it had promised the first two runs. After a long delay to salt the course all the racers determined that there was no more speed to be gleaned from the course. Sierra was a little disappointed with her eleventh placed finish but after talking with coach Jim, coach Rob and her parents she realized she was the 3rd 10 year old in the 10/11 division and excited to return next year “older and wiser!”
2025 - Jan26th Sierra raced her first USSA Race at Nubs Knob in Michigan and scored a win in Slalom!!! SEE MORE RACE REPORTS HERE

Alex Wren

PROUD to INTRODUCE our 2023 LUCKY RACER CHAMPION

Like DesaRae, we discovered Alex through the Kentucky Special Olympics Winter Games. He loves to ski and has mastered the most difficult level of Giant Slalom and Slalom. At 27, he is a strong athlete and powers through the most difficult conditions. We have spent many days on the slopes with Alex and none of us can ever remember him even loosing his balance or falling. He is a ROCK on skis! He doesn’t offer up much to say but when asked about skiing you always get a big smile and a positive answer.

JOEY

JOEY has made us proud, and is our Lucky Racer Ambassador!
A MODEL LUCKY RACER CHAMPION!

Joey's willingness to help others didn't go unrecognized. She was nominated by a teacher from her middle school faculty staff.

LUCKY RACER keeps the newspapers printing...Joey will be featured in the Connersville News Examiner!
Joey loves to ski as much as possible. Her 2022 season had 91 days on the snow! That's incredible for her and a testament to her VERY supportive parents!
Feb 4th 2024 she scored her biggest ski race win of her career at Perfect North’s King of the Hill race being the fastest kid and being crowned “Princess” of the Hill! Congrats Joey! Joey also organizes a big effort to support our troops through operation “We Care”.
An amazing example of a true champion on and off the slopes!

Joey’s First Nastar Nationals 2024 Snowmass, CO
Joey started the week with a 3rd place in the Silver/bronze Slalom… PODIUM!!!
The GS was a greater challenge with warm conditions and a tough course and Joey still managed to ski well into 5th place Gold division less than 2 seconds off the win. The warm conditions means you have to be fast on the first run but a difficult course took a few runs to figure out but by then big ruts had developed and a faster run was not possible. This is a lesson we have all learned at Nationals! Currently recovering from a knee injury, she still comes to the races to support her fellow racers.

DesaRae with Mikeala Shiffrin - US SKI TEAM #1 Woman

DESARAE NICKELL

Our 2019 LUCKY RACER CHAMPION and AMBASSADOR

DesaRae (on left with Mikeala Shiffrin) might have been born with a chromosomal irregularity called 3q29 but she has nerves of steel and a lion’s heart. By the time we discovered her, she had already risen to the highest level of ski racing in the KY State Winter Game Special Olympics. Little did we know at the time that she was just getting started on her amazing journey. News Ch 9 Story featuring DesaRae in 2018: 2 minute video
DesaRae was crowned a LUCKY RACER CHAMPION in 2019 (9 min video) She quickly developed the confidence and desire to race in more difficult public ski races. This has been steadily improving her racing skills and in 2023 she attended the biggest race of her life… Nastar Nationals in Snowmass Colorado, bringing home a gold medal in the adaptive class! But it turns out ski racing is not her only talent, she has a true gift as a communicator and role model which earned her the title of Athlete Ambassador in Ky Special Olympics where she has given many speeches to athletes and even the KY General Assembly.
These talents also earned her the title and added responsibilities of a Lucky Racer Ambassador.
In 2019 she was named as a candidate for Special Olympics World Games several time rescheduled now Mr 8-15th, 2025 in Turin Italy to represent KY in ski racing events. It has been amazing to watch this young lady blossom and she has even won a pageant which awarded her the title of Miss Amazing Kentucky. Everyone involved in Lucky Racer is so very proud of our Amazing Champion and Lucky Racer Ambassador DesaRae!
Jan 2024 Nice story by 18 LEX news on DesaRae’s Upcoming World Games
Jan 2025 Nice story by 18 LEX news on DesaRae’s Upcoming World Games

JUDAH DOMINI

Judah Domini. He is quiet and races under the radar kind of racer. He will fly by and beat others without a trace but leave the race making the podium with First Place. 2020/21...Judah Domin was recognized and awarded awarded as one of our NEW Champions, receiving his financial LUCKY RACER Junior Ski Racing Scholarship virtual style. Soon he will be surprised to receive his winnings and trophy via mail.
THANK YOU to the Perfect North Racing team and to two of our other LUCKY RACER Champions for presenting and cheering on Judah's award(s).

MICHAEL MORELLI

Michael loves skiing and is an inspiration to many of his peers

Michael is without a doubt our biggest, larger than life personality. He has an infectious love of life that lights up every space he is in. His sense of humor knows no bounds… when asked about his special needs classification he responded “I check all the boxes”.
Michael is currently enrolled at NKU and is working hard to develop his skills. Surely one of Dolly Parton’s biggest fans, she is lucky to have his admiration and support.

MARIJA BERZINS

Expect big things from this LUCKY RACER CHAMPION

Marija - was our 4th LUCKY RACER Champion and an accomplished racer with a true passion for the sport. She competed in the very competitive youth series USSA all over the midwest. At 16, she got a job at Ligety Weibrecht Ski Camp at Mt. Hood in Oregon as a counselor for two seasons. She graduated highschool with a 3.9 GPA where she developed a passion for chemistry and psychology. She is currently attending Ohio State University studying for a bachelor's of science in chemistry with a goal to receive a PhD in organic chemistry. A serious student in a very difficult major she has already pulled a 3.89 GPA in the autumn semester of 2023. Marija is a true champion on and off the slopes!

ANDREW & ANNA

Two of our earliest LUCKY RACER CHAMPIONS - Making us proud

I BET YOU THOUGHT SKI RACERS only dreamed about ❄️ snow?? Maybe, most of the time...BUT not our two LUCKY RACER SIBLING CHAMPIONS Andrew & Anna!!

These AA's have more energy than most do in a lifetime! Andrew can jump tabletops and skim around curves on two tire turns faster than the fast & furious!

When watching Anna run 🏃‍♂️ her cross country races, you better quickly find your places....zoom, you missed her fly by! Always at the head of the pack! Now...she conquers all in her college halls!!

In memory of their father, both these AA's held annual car 🚗 shows for Cancer Awareness. They may be flying high in the sky with four wheels and tackling classes, we are forever always PROUD of our CHAMPS who make forever impressionable stamps!!

LANDON SCHWERING

Our very FIRST LUCKY RACER CHAMP awarded in 2017

Have you experienced a moment(s) in your life when you JUST KNEW you were supposed to be present, matter how crazy it sounds???!! It never gets too old to share the Lord's alignment & plan(s)!

While LUCKY RACER all started during a conversation under a butterfly tree, the Lord was already steps ahead planning the impact Landon's life will be on many to come! WHO KNEW??

Two months prior to Doug Lueke's (a beloved father/friend to many) passing, he and Landon engaged in a lengthy conversation over bowls of Ski Instructor, Shannon's chili. They were laughing and eating slope side at Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

WITHOUT having any idea that LUCKY RACER would soon evolve, Doug told Landon he was PROUD of him and he will soon become a CHAMP! Without having any knowledge that this conversation even took place, YEP!...GUESS who was our FIRST LUCKY RACER CHAMP? Landon Schwering!!!!!

Thing is....because Landon turned his hardships & struggles inside out, his presence in our LUCKY RACER program has been an awe-inspiring
ripple effect of making differences on and off the slopes!

LUCKY RACER

LUCKY RACER has awarded eleven CHAMPS with or without exceptional needs (adults & juniors)! All these Champs have been true testimonials of positive sportsmanship and making impacts throughout their
communities: testimonials in front of legislation, making proclamations, collecting donations for "Operation We Care," volunteering in animal shelters, attending college, competing in Special Olympics, USSA & Nastar Nationals, and soon Special Olympics World Games in Italy.
Please support our efforts with a generous donation. THANKYOU!