Competition

The British Disabled Ski Team comprises a "World Cup Team”, of skiers who are experienced at the highest level, a “European Cup Team” fighting hard to move up the world rankings and a Development Squad of Youths and young adult skiers who are making the transition from very good/promising recreational skiers into racers.

Who can ski race?

Not everyone with a disability is eligible for paralympic ski racing.

It may surprise you to know that there is no snowboarding (yet, although that will be coming soon!), or that the stand-up categories are more or less confined to those with a missing limb (hand, arm, leg).

Sit down skiers are practically exclusively mono-skiers and generally come from the ranks of the spinally injured, ampu-tees and spina bifida.

The visually impaired class includes fully blind as well as partially sighted athletes with different levels of impairment.

IPC Alpine Skiing Classification Overview

There are thirteen sport classes for athletes with a physical disability (seven for standing and three for sitting) and three for athletes with visual impairment. When different classes are combined in competition due to an insufficient number of athletes in a class, a formula is used to "factor" athletes' times according to their class.

Visually impaired

• B1 - Totally blind participants with vision up to light perception / hand movement
• B2 - visual acuity of 2/60 and / or visual field of less than 5 degrees
• B3 - visual acuity above 2/60 to 6/60 and / or visual field of more than 5 degrees and less than 20 degrees

Standing

• LW1 double above-knee amputees or similar
• LW2 above knee amputee using outriggers and one ski
• LW3 double below-knee amputees/ CP5, CP6
• LW4 skiers with below knee amputation using prosthesis, two skis and poles
• LW5/7 skiers with both hands / arms amputated unable to use poles (LW5/7-1, LW5/7-2, LW 5/7-3)
• LW6/8 skiers with one hand / arm amputated using one pole (LW6/8 -1, LW6/8 -2)
• LW9 disability of one arm and one leg (Amputation, CP, Hemiplegic), (LW9/1, LW9/2)

Sitting

• LW10 mono skiers (high level of spinal cord injury), (LW10/1, LW10/2)
• LW11 mono skiers (thoracic spinal cord injury)
• LW12 mono skiers (paraplegia or double AK Amputees), (LW12/1, LW 12/2)

For more information please contact the Team Manager, David Chugg: davechugg@disabilitysnowsport.org.uk