Adaptive skiiers take off at Mission Ridge

It was a race to the bottom of the hill at Mission Ridge on Saturday, but it wasn’t just your typical skiiers and snowboarders.

Each of the 13 teams that raced in the SaskTel Challenge Cup had at least one competitor with a disability.

Julian Nahachewsky was an able-bodied snowboarder until he was 19, when he broke his back after a crash on the hill. It left him with a spinal cord injury.

“Honestly, I can say it because I’ve done able-bodied skiing and snowboarding, and I still think sit-skiing is one of the best rushes,” Nahachewsky said. “You’re lower to the ground, and it’s definitely faster than the other two… I love getting the rush, and it’s the easiest way to do it, in a wheelchair.”

This is the 11th year for the event, which helps raise funds for equipment for Regina Ski Club’s Alpine Adaptive Ski Program.

Kurt Oatway, a member of the Canadian para-alpine ski team, said the SaskTel Challenge Cup is important for adaptive skiiers.

Oatway said the program aims to “get people out and engaged in their communities, having fun and also just as importantly, to help raise funds to let the community continue to provide programs for kids to get the opportunity to do whatever they want and have fun.”

“It’s good for younger kids to see some other examples of how to ski better, or where they could work up to. It’s just also fun for us who are already independent because we just get to hang out with our friends and it’s just like any other ski day,” Nahachewsky said.

Amy Alsop is visually impaired and follows a guide down the hill. She likes the adrenaline rush.

“I love the fact that yeah, I could crash and it could be spectacular, and so you’re kind of on your toes and you’re paying attention to what’s going on and you’re going fast,” Alsop said. “As someone with a visual impairment, there’s not a lot of opportunities where we get to go fast anywhere.”

Most adaptive sports, such as wheelchair basketball, are done indoors, Gord Poulton, Regina Ski Club Adaptive Ski Program director, said.

“So this here sport is a total adrenaline rush in the respect that they have to give up some of the ability to control their speed and let the hill take over, so the smiles we can create are just lifelong,” he said.

Global News’ Teri Fikowski, Blake Lough, Tiffany Lizée and Shawn Knox also raced with Nahachewsky.