Skier & Snowboarder’s Jo Lewis spent an afternoon learning about Disability Snowsport UK’s mission to ensure everybody has the opportunity to take part.
Having spent a morning enjoying my first ever ski lesson at The Snow Centre, the real snow ski and snowboard facility in Hemel Hempstead, Louise Newton from Iglu Ski had also organised for me to meet up with Peter Thorpe, an adaptive ski instructor at Disability Snowsport UK (DSUK), to find out about their work and what they do at the centre.
The UK’s leading adaptive snowsport charity, Disability Snowsport UK’s aim is to make snowsports accessible to everyone regardless of disability, so that disabled people can enjoy the sport alongside friends and family. DSUK has over 40 years’ experience of teaching adaptive snowsports in the UK.
As well as at The Snow Centre, DSUK also work with other snow domes and slopes across the country offering lessons by specialist instructors with a range of tailored adapted equipment depending on the skier or snowboarder’s needs.
For example, one discipline is mono skiing, which is where a skier uses a sit ski with one ski underneath and hand held riggers. There is also bi skiing, which uses a sit ski that is positioned closer to the ground with two skis underneath, offering more stability. This can be steered down the slope by an instructor, or hand held riggers or outriggers can be used by the skier for more independence.
As well as stand up skiing for those who may need a specialist instructor and visual impairment skiing, they also offer three tracking and four tracking skiing where the number of points of contact on the snow depend on the skier’s needs, usually with two outriggers and either one or two skis. There is also adaptive snowboarding which is a modified version of the sport where changes are made to the equipment, rules or technical specifications. Peter explained to me that as each adaptive skier is unique, therefore consideration is taken to cater for all their needs to ensure they get the best experience.
While at the centre I was offered the opportunity to experience a bi ski. Once kitted out with a helmet and an extra jacket to keep me warm, I got into the bi ski. Peter strapped me in to ensure I was secure and then set about attaching the ropes that would be used to connect me to the ski lift to pull me up the slope.
All set, we headed for the lift. The Snow Centre staff are trained in helping to attach the ropes on the bi ski to the lift – and we were off. At the top of the slope the ropes were automatically released, and Peter took control.
This was my first time at the top of Hemel Hempstead’s main slope, having only had my first ski lesson on the training slope that morning, and until I was up there I didn’t appreciate the adrenaline rush of having such an expanse of slope ahead of me.
Peter packed away the ropes that had helped us up there into a pouch in front of me, looked for a suitable gap, and then we set off, smoothly traversing us down the slope. At each turn I was instructed to tilt my head to help with the movements we needed to make. It was an amazing feeling zig zagging down the snow – and too soon we were at the bottom – and it was time to get the ropes out again and head back to the ski lift.
Having enjoyed several runs and getting a feel for the snow and movements to make, Peter suggested I try using some hand held riggers. This meant that I was more responsible for keeping myself upright and controlling the turns. Peter therefore wouldn’t so much be steering me down the slope, but tethered to the bi ski so that he still had control of my movements.
Now it was time for me to concentrate on what I was doing – making sure I kept my balance, placing the hand held riggers in the right position and turning them as needed, as well as remembering to tilt my head in the right way. Using the hand riggers makes you feel much more involved, and with practise it means you can ski by yourself.
The afternoon was a great opportunity to see just what DSUK is all about and what they can offer in order that there are no barriers to who can get involved in snowsports.
As well as running ski schools (offering lessons for individuals, groups and families) and social activities through various groups all over the UK, DSUK also help organise trips to resorts worldwide.
To find out more about Disability Snowsport UK, as well as how you can help them to raise funds, visit disabilitysnowsport.org.uk
Categories: Club & Slope News, News
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