Showing posts with label adaptive skiing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adaptive skiing. Show all posts
March 1, 2012
March 12, 2010
British Paralympic Skier Tim Farr: Video
March 11, 2010
Interview with Paralympian Danelle Umstead, Alpine Skier
via the US Paralympic website:
Danelle Umstead, 38, a visually impaired alpine ski racer, is one of the top Americans entering the Paralympic Winter Games. Umstead was 13 when she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a disease which leads to gradual loss or reduction in visual ability. In 2000, she went skiing for the first time with her father. Nine years later, with her husband, Rob, as her guide, she won five titles in six days at the 2009 Hartford U.S. Adaptive Alpine Championships in Winter Park, Colo. Now the Umsteads, the parents of a 2-year-old boy, Brocton, are preparing for the Paralympic Games
You can find the rest of the interview here.
Danelle speaks about how her father looked into adaptive skiing after she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa. She began skiing competitively in 2006. Her husband Rob is her guide, but Danelle explains that we should refer to them as a visually impaired team, not an athlete and their guide in this article called How does that work? which answers a lot of questions about skiers with visual impairments. I suggest you take a look at it before watching the videos, because it'll give you a lot of information.
She also explains how adaptive skiers are classified.
With disabled skiing there are many different classifications. There are three categories of disabled ski racers - stand up, sit skier, and the visually impaired. These three groups compete amongst themselves. Times are adjusted within the category based on the athlete's degree of disability. Blind skiers are separated into three groups depending on the severity of their vision loss. It ranges from total blindness to having partial sight.
This November 2009 video shows Danelle and Rob training.
Danelle's blog can be found here and Danelle and Rob's site, Team Vision4Gold, can be found here.
A video featuring Danelle's quest for the gold at the 2010 Paralympics can be found here.
Danelle Umstead, 38, a visually impaired alpine ski racer, is one of the top Americans entering the Paralympic Winter Games. Umstead was 13 when she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a disease which leads to gradual loss or reduction in visual ability. In 2000, she went skiing for the first time with her father. Nine years later, with her husband, Rob, as her guide, she won five titles in six days at the 2009 Hartford U.S. Adaptive Alpine Championships in Winter Park, Colo. Now the Umsteads, the parents of a 2-year-old boy, Brocton, are preparing for the Paralympic Games
You can find the rest of the interview here.
Danelle speaks about how her father looked into adaptive skiing after she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa. She began skiing competitively in 2006. Her husband Rob is her guide, but Danelle explains that we should refer to them as a visually impaired team, not an athlete and their guide in this article called How does that work? which answers a lot of questions about skiers with visual impairments. I suggest you take a look at it before watching the videos, because it'll give you a lot of information.
She also explains how adaptive skiers are classified.
With disabled skiing there are many different classifications. There are three categories of disabled ski racers - stand up, sit skier, and the visually impaired. These three groups compete amongst themselves. Times are adjusted within the category based on the athlete's degree of disability. Blind skiers are separated into three groups depending on the severity of their vision loss. It ranges from total blindness to having partial sight.
This November 2009 video shows Danelle and Rob training.
Danelle's blog can be found here and Danelle and Rob's site, Team Vision4Gold, can be found here.
A video featuring Danelle's quest for the gold at the 2010 Paralympics can be found here.
March 10, 2010
US Paralympian Stephani Victor : Getting Back Into the Game
In this YouTube video, Stephani talks about how she began her journey toward the 2010 Paralympics to compete in the slalom after an accident resulted in the amputation of her legs.
Her US Paralympic Team bio can be found here.
Related: US Paralympic Alpine team named.
Her US Paralympic Team bio can be found here.
Related: US Paralympic Alpine team named.
March 8, 2010
Adaptive Skiing
William Peace participates in the Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports program. He was kind enough to share these photos which were taken at Sugarbush, Mt. Ellen by one of the program's volunteers. The photos show Bill skiing downhill using a monoski. Basically the user sits on a molded seat that's mounted on a frame over a ski and navigates downhill using poles. You'll see this equipment used by some Paralympic skiers.
There are a number of adaptive sports programs across the country. They offer adaptive sports for people with different disabilities, as does the program in Vermont. I thank Bill for highlighting the Vermont Ski and Sports program. To apply or donate, please use the link below.
via Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports site:
About Vermont Adaptive
With nearly 400 active volunteers, plus generous partners and sponsors, and an
amazing base of clients and friends, Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports has been at the
forefront of sports and recreation for those with disabilities in New England for more
than 20 years. Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports is committed to empowering individuals with disabilities. We promote independence and further equality through access and instruction to sports and recreational activities.
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