Park City, UT (Wednesday, June 28, 2006) - Are the co-grand marshals of Park City's annual Fourth of July parade excited about their role? Does Donald Trump like his name in the headlines? Is there sand in the Sahara? Is this a great country?

"I'm very patriotic. I'm from the Heartland," said Iowa native Stephani Victor (LW-12/1; Park City, UT), the Paralympic slalom champ, World Cup slalom co-champion and reigning slalom world champion for sit-skiers. "My grandparents married on the Fourth of July, and as a family we always celebrated the Fourth - it's meaningful and symbolic, and it's always good to take a moment and give thanks for this country.

"I will show up and do as I'm told," she laughed. "And I'll follow Ted's lead. I'm really excited for this. It should be a lot of fun."

Ted Ligety (Park City, UT), the Olympic alpine combined gold medalist last February, echoed his feelings on being the co-grand marshal. "I've always been a spectator, and enjoyed being a spectator at the parade, so taking part may be a little weird and I won't get to do as much shenanigans with my friends as usual, but this is such a great honor. To have the town honor our accomplishment at the Olympics and the Paralympics...well, it's great. Yeah, it'll be fun."

Born in Park City, Ligety came up through the Park City Farm Team to the Development Team to the award-winning Park City Ski Team program. Although the 2006 season was his breakout winter with Olympic gold, his first World Cup win and three other podium performances, he also was silver medalist in slalom at the 2004 Junior World Championships and has won the U.S. slalom and combined titles at the last two U.S. Championships. He represents Park City Mountain Resort.

Victor, who lost both legs in 1995 following a bizarre car accident where an out of control driver struck her in her driveway, has lived in Park City since the late Nineties when she was introduced to skiing during the renowned Sundance Film Festival. She married her longtime coach, Marcel Kuonen, last fall and continues to represent Deer Valley Resort.

Ironically, she said, she knew of Ligety but never met him until the traditional White House visit for Olympians and Paralympians in mid-May. "Our paths never crossed until then and, coincidentally, we even go to the same orthodontist...but still never met," she said.

Victor, born in the hometown of Iowa State University but a 1992 graduate of the University of Southern California, was in Italy, clinching her World Cup slalom title, when Ligety won the Olympic combined event. Like so many others, she was thrilled. "The combined is one of my favorite events - I wish we had it in disabled because it's exactly what I aspire to be, fast and technically good. So, anyway, we met at the White House and got to talk and hang out a little...he's a nice young man, got a good head...

"And now Ted's on Rossignol, too," she added with another laugh. Kuonen hooked up Victor with Rossignol and she continues to race on their skis. Adding to the local angle, the company is establishing its North American headquarters in Park City.

Members of the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding, which has been in Park City since 1974, will be honored during the town's annual July 4th parade. Athletes from the area who participated in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games will follow Ligety and Victor in the parade on a special float designed by the Park City Chamber Bureau. The parade begins at 11 a.m. MT at the top of historic Main Street in Park City. There also will be an autograph signing party with U.S. athletes in City Park immediately following the parade along with a special presentation by Mayor Dana Williams at 12:30 p.m.