Did you know that five of Canada's 17 cross-country skiers at the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Winter Games were Nordic Racers? Pretty impressive, especially considering the club has only formally started an adaptive ski program in 2007! These athletes and their many supporters all love the sport so much, they wanted to get as many other people with disabilities out on the snow to experience first-hand what a great sport cross-country skiing can be.

Our adaptive cross-country ski program (also called para-nordic) is designed to meet the needs of athletes with physical disabilities. People who are blind and visually impaired, amputees, wheelchair users and people with cerebral palsy and brain injuries have all taken part in our programs. Not only do we have the knowledge and experience to get people out on the snow, we also have the necessary adaptive equipment to get you started, including sit-skis for wheelchair users and radio headsets for skiers who are blind or visually impaired.

You can come out and learn how to ski just for the fun of it or you can choose to get involved in our racing program - the choice is completely up to you. This upcoming season, we are recruiting athletes who want to compete at the 2012 BC Winter Games as a stepping stone to the 2015 Canada Winter Games.

What is Cross-Country Skiing Exactly?

Cross-country skiing is done on light, skinny skis attached to light, flexible boots. There are two major forms, or techniques, of cross-country skiing. Classic technique is a little like running, though with a longer, shuffling stride. Skating technique is more like ice skating, where the skier pushes from side to side. Cross-country skiing involves skiing up and down hills as well as across flat terrain. There are no chair lifts to get you up the hills!

This video was used to introduce cross-country skiing and biathlon at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. Please have a look so you understand what adaptive cross-country skiing is really like. Keep in mind this video highlights some of the top athletes in the sport. We don’t expect you to be able to ski like they can....at least not to start with!

Downhill, or alpine skiing is done on wider, shorter skis with heavy stiff boots. It involves taking a ski lift up, and then skiing back down.

What We Don’t Do

We do not offer any downhill (alpine) programs. If you are interested in downhill skiing, Disabled Skiers of BC (www.disabledskiingbc.com) offers programs for individuals with physical and mental disabilities.

We also do not have the expertise to meet the needs of people with developmental disabilities. However, Special Olympics Vancouver (www.sobcvancouver.org) offers cross-country skiing as one of its many programs.

Are Our Programs Suitable for You?

To ensure you will enjoy taking part in our programs, you must meet minimum mobility standards in order to participate.

 Standing skiers: If your disability allows you to stand, you should be able to walk a    minimum of 400m without assistance from another person. If you use a walking aid,  such as a cane or crutches, that’s okay.

Please be aware that some individuals with physical disabilities who can stand choose to use a sit-ski because of the unique needs of their disability. People with cerebral palsy, neuromuscular diseases, polio or amputees might feel more comfortable in a sit-ski. If you are interested in trying sit-skiing, please read our minimum standards for wheelchair users below and be sure to let us know when you register for a program that you are a standing skier who would also like to try sit-skiing.

Wheelchair users: If you are a wheelchair user, you should be able to transfer with minimal assistance.  Cross-country skiing in a sit-ski requires good upper body strength, especially in the arms and shoulders. Remember, in cross-country skiing, you will be using your own power to ski across changing terrain, including going up hills! Our volunteers do not push or tow athletes in any of our programs.

For a video demonstrating cross-country skiing for individuals whose disabilities don’t allow them to stand, please watch this video featuring our own Paralympian sit-skier Lou Gibson. Just be aware that Lou is one of our high functioning sit-skiers so if you don’t think you can ski quite like Lou can, don’t worry! As long as you meet our minimum standards, you should be able to cross-country ski.

Sorry, this program is not suitable for power chair users. If our programs are not suitable for you, we suggest you contact Whistler Adaptive Sports Program (www.whistleradaptive.com). WASP offers a variety of sports including cross-country skiing for individuals with a broad range of disabilities.

If you have any questions about whether or not our programs are suitable for you, please feel free to contact us.
 

PROGRAMS

Skiing is Believing Introductory Clinics
Junior Skill Development Program
Adaptive Cross-Country Ski Education (ACE) Program
Want to Get Involved? Join Our Ski-Doers Team!
Adaptive Learn to Loppet (AL2L) - 6 Week Adult Skills Development Program