Winter Paralympics - Nordic Sitskiing Contenders

The Winter Olympics have just gotten underway in Vancouver. I always enjoy watching the Olympics, but I'm looking ahead to the Paralympics that follow next month. I'm intrigued by how few people take on the challenge of nordic skiing on the US Paralympic Ski team. There are 7 members featured on Team USA's website, compared to 23 on the US Alpine Ski team. Let's face it, you've got to be physically tough to sustain the extreme stamina required to compete in nordic skiing. Six of these seven members are sitskiers.

Nordic skiing competition was added to the Paralympics in 1976. The races vary from 2.5 to 20 kilometers depending on gender and disability. The competition is open to men and women with specific disabilities: limb loss/amputee, blindness/visual impairment, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, brain injury, and stroke. People with visual impairments compete separately from physically disabled skiers who fall into two categories, standing and seated.

All of the sitskiers are from out west, so I can't pick favorite from New England for this sport. Monica Bascio, is my personal choice as the only woman sitskier. She competed in Torino in 2006 and had 3 top ten finishes. A world champion handcyclist, Monica switched to nordic skiing, then took time off after skiing in Torino to become a mother. She managed to fit in training for 2010 in addition to working as an Occupational Therapist. Sounds like a super-hero among super-heros to me!

This will also be the second Winter Paralympics for Greg Mallory and Chris Klebl. Chris, disabled in a snowboarding accident, had 2 top 20 finishes in Torino and placed 4th overall in the 2008 World Cup circuit. Greg (pictured here) intrigues me because he is a lawyer who alternates between handcycling, paddling and roller-skiing to work each day in Portland, Oregon. Greg was paralyzed after a skiing accident and had 3 top 25 finishes in Torino. He placed 18th in overall standings at the World Cup.

Bob Balk is the most seasoned veteran of the Paralympics. He has competed in handcycling in two Paralympic Games and this will be his 5th Winter Paralympics. He had three top 20 finishes in Torino and placed 13th overall in the 2008 World Cup. Bob became disabled after falling off a roof and is now a venture capitalist who also designs sitskis. I wonder if he is the designer of the four sitskis "from California" I saw in use at Weston Ski Track last weekend, the same style shown used by Greg in this photo.

This will be the first Paralympics for Sean Halsted and Andy Soule. Sean is a US Air Force veteran who was injured falling out of a helicopter. Active in several adaptive sports, he placed 16th overall in the World Cup skiing circuit in 2008. Andy lost his legs to an improvised explosive device in the war in Afghanistan. Seeking a way to stay in shape, he jumped into competitive nordic skiing despite his lack of any previous skiing experience. He finished 12th overall in the World Cup circuit and will compete in the biathlon in addition to nordic races in Vancouver. The Paralympics offer a perfect place to channel the skills and energy of recovered veterans.

Keep an eye on http://www.paralympicsport.tv for coverage. It is there that I learned it can take years for nordic sitskiers to build their speed. This sport is unique in that its athletes can compete well into their 50's and still beat the field. The Winter Paralympics have only five basic areas of competition, yet each one is singularly inspiring and curiously different from its able-bodied counterpart.

Sitskiing Part of Nordic Race at Weston Ski Track

Four athletes affiliated with Northeast Passage of Durham, NH, joined in the competition of the annual Vasalop Classical Ski Race at Weston Ski Track on Sunday, February 7th. They entered the race for the fun of it and to practice racing. As it turned out, distance, times, and placement were not the concern of the day as much as just being there and enjoying the opportunity.

Marlon Shepard, 19, is a student at the University of New Hampshire and an alpine skier discovering nordic skiing this season. He appreciates it for the real workout it offers and led the pack of sitskiers on the race course. He and his team mate Erica enjoyed hot blueberry soup after their race, a culinary reward in traditional Swedish nordic ski races.

Marlon will be hopping on a plane in March and heading to the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, with sights on participating in 2014 in Russia. He is well-positioned at UNH to receive the training he needs to follow in the tracks of Tyler Walker and Laurie Stephens who are competing this year in Vancouver in alpine skiing. Go Marlon!

Other sitskiers on site were from the greater Boston area and I was pleased to learn from them that they have recently discovered the Weston Ski Track as a place to sitski, even at night. It will be great to see more sitskiing at Weston in the future, in addition to the Universal Access programs offered there by Brenda Davies of Outdoor Access. Brenda and a few volunteers assisted with race logistics prior to offering their second Universal Access winter program on Sunday. Thanks to Brenda, KC, Barry, Courtney, Adam, Nezirin, and everyone else who helped out!!!!

Accessible Winter Open House in Holyoke, MA

A fun time was had by all who ventured out on an overcast cold day to Mt. Tom State Reservation in Holyoke, MA on Saturday, February 6th. While a historic snowstorm buried Washington DC and the mid-Atlantic states, not a flake fell from the far edge of the storm's clouds in western Massachusetts. Despite the lack of snow on the ground, DCR's Universal Access Program hosted a successful open house for residents with disabilities in the Pioneer Valley to experience outdoor recreation activities.

Ice skating on Lake Bray and short hikes were facilitated by All Out Adventures of Easthampton with volunteer support from an outdoor recreation class from Hampshire College. DCR offered letterboxing, nature activities, an outdoor fire, and refreshments in the warming hut, including chili, hot cocoa, and cookies. Ellen Clegg of Found Sounds provided a unique chance for people with and without disabilities to try drumming around the fire outside. Over 60 people attended the event and WGGB came to film for the evening news on Channel 40.

My favorite moment of the day came while I walked past the drumming circle and witnessed a true "found sounds" event when a pine cone dropped out of a tree overhead and bounced off a drum, causing all the drummers to burst into laughter. This was the first time drumming was introduced into a Universal Access program. Cyndy Chamberland of Easthampton, pictured on the right above, commented that she enjoyed enjoyed drumming because she "didn't have to think" while doing it. Ellen's motto, "Everyone who breathes has rhythm", suggests that drumming is an activity everyone can engage in. Ellen (above in red) has been drumming for over 25 years and her students include people with disabilities. To find out more about Found Sounds, visit http://www.foundsounds.com/

Lots of Smiles at the First Universal Access Program at Weston

The first program of the winter season was filled with many new faces and just a few familiar ones. Several families came out to play on the groomed snow track and try out snowshoes, cross country skis and kicksleds. Our program leader Brenda had her rainbow wig specially fluffed for the day and facilitated the action with 5 volunteers and lots of laughter.

Bob Chow and his family had seen the program advertised in past years and made their first appearance this Sunday. His young daughter Melissa (shown above) enjoyed being pushed on conventional skis while holding onto a ski walker for support. Giggles abounded when she got to wear the program's trademark wig.

Bob Posner, a long time and year round Universal Access Program participant, took a leisurely walk in snowshoes with 2 volunteers to find letterboxes hidden alongside the snow course. Inside the boxes were rubber stamps of animal tracks, which he and other participants collected throughout the day.

Next Sunday the Universal Access Program continues from 11am - 3pm at the Weston Ski Track. An array of winter equipment will be available for participants to try out on the snow- covered golf course and new letterbox stamps will be hidden. To register for programs on February 7 and/or February 14, call Brenda at Outdoor Access at 413-259-0009.
The annual Boston Vasalop Classical ski race will be held at 9:30 am and will feature a sitski race. Athletes from Northeast Passage in New Hampshire will compete in the adaptive race.

Special Olympics Qualifier Held in Weston

Thirty athletes competed from all over Massachusetts in an annual cross country skiing qualifying event at Weston Ski Track on the last day of January. Most will go on to the Connecticut Winter Games and compete with 150 athletes there February 27 and 28.

Jennifer Maitland, the director of Special Olympics Massachusetts, started races with megaphone in hand on this sunny cold day. Races included the 25, 50, 100 and 500 meters, 1 kilometer, and two relays - a 4x100 and 4x500. She said that there aren't enough athletes in Massachusetts competing in nordic skiing and skating events to warrant a state tournament, so to gain greater competitive experience, Massachusetts skiers and skaters travel to Connecticut.

Athletes are divisioned by ability, gender and age. Conditions were perfect at the Weston Ski Track, the only nordic facility in Massachusetts that makes snow. Smiles and enthusiastic cheering were prevalent as racers took off in their separate tracks and even when they were well out of hearing range. Susannah is shown completing her race above.

The Massachusetts Winter Games will take place in Worcester on March 13 and 14. Athletes will compete indoors in basketball, bowling, and floor hockey. Alpine skiing events will be held at Mt. Wachusett. For more information, visit http://www.specialolympicsma.org/

Power Chairs on Ice - A new game emerges

Power chairs on ice made a second developmental debut in Revere today at the Cronin Rink. A small group of power chair users gathered to test their wheels on the ice and play a game of....power ball? Could it be that this was the first time such a game took place on ice using a fitness ball? Who knows?



By way of warmup, we practiced some maneuvers with a seven cone slalom down the center of the rink, then some 2 lap races around the line of cones. Socializing, spinning and gliding intermingled with these more serious endeavors. I warmed up my fingers trying to make the stopwatch work, but competitive timed events fell by the wayside once we noticed that six people in powerchairs could create two teams of three.



While public skating went on at the rink's circumference, the interior was defined with long bolsters and two nets. After some consideration, it was determined that a coin toss was the best way to start the game. Once started, the game took on a life of its own and everyone soon forgot about time.




For Nick, only 5 1/2 months into life in a power chair, this was the best day he'd experienced since his injury. Barry and John, both using sip-and-puff technology to propel their chairs, were able to enjoy the game at the same pace as those using toggle switches, though they didn't always have as much control. Tom, ever a fan of sliding on the ice in his power chair, found the game interaction especially fun. It was Richard's first time on ice, and with a mid-wheel drive chair with a lot of pep, he had great control of the ball and was the first one to score a goal. John, the rink manager, relished the chance to use an extra power chair brought by Tom.



As I skated around taking photos, I observed the game to be like a slow motion form of power soccer. People were naturally sensitive about their chairs, especially without any protection, such as the guards around the front of the chair that are used in power soccer.


The fitness ball met the needs of the players well. When they lightly collided with it between them, it absorbed the impact and gently pushed them apart. The ball took some abuse and held up without incident. Occasionally a group of four would sandwich the ball, making for interesting interaction to see who would move so the ball would come free. The ball moved smoothly on the ice but didn't travel far when pushed, so it was easy to keep up with and carry forward. The ice added that random tricky element, as people sometimes got caught with spinning wheels in a slick spot. Otherwise, thanks to John's careful zamboni work before we played, traction was mostly good with the different chair models, especially in the slower speeds.


Power chairs on ice will take place again on Tuesday, February 23 at the Cronin Rink at 850 Revere Beach Parkway. For further information, contact Tom at thomas.j.mccarthy@state.ma.us or 413-545-5353.

The Paralympics are Coming!

We always hear about the Olympics in mainstream media well before they arrive. For weeks, coverage of Olympic events dominates evening television. Unless we are paying careful attention, the Paralympics might slip by unnoticed, especially since they are separated from the Olympics and follow behind them at the Olympics venue. Dedicated Paralympic fans get their news online and might take advantage of whatever tiny amount of television coverage takes place, usually after the games. You can click on the links in the sidebar here to find online coverage. The following is a little primer to get you started.

The Paralympics started in 1960 and have been going strong ever since. This year's Winter Paralympics are from March 21-21 in Vancouver and feature 5 main sports: alpine skiing, nordic skiing, sled hockey, wheelchair curling, and biathlon. Alpine events are the downhill, slalom, giant slalom, and super giant slalom, same as with the Olympics. Nordic skiing features races of different distances and the biathlon, into which shooting at targets is integrated. Skiers compete in three categories: standing, seated, and blind. Sled hockey, played on seated ice skates, is every bit as intense as conventional hockey. Wheelchair curling made its debut in the last Paralympics and is a fascinating competition of aim and technique.

While not all these sports take place in the outdoors, subsequent posts will delve into each one. The real stories are the athletes themselves of course. Each one has a unique journey to the Paralympics. Stephanie Victor, pictured above, is the force to be reckoned with in the downhill events and will give Laurie Stephens from Massachusetts some fierce competition. Stay tuned!

Remembering Burt, Appreciating Kevin

Burt Eddings loved the outdoors and gave much of his professional and personal time in the service of athletics and youth. He played sports, taught physical education, directed summer camps, including one for kids with mental disabilities, and bicycled with his son Kevin across the country at age 56.

I met Burt and Kevin later in Burt's life when he was already diagnosed with Lewy Body disease and could no longer speak. Kevin would spring him from the nursing home for a dose of fresh air. In a loving fashion he regularly brought his father to Universal Access programs for cycling and hiking each year. He made sure his father got to venture outside even after his mind and body failed him. I was always deeply touched by this dedication and the sight of them out on the trail.

Kevin assisted with programs beyond supporting his father at them, and continues to volunteer after Burt's death a few years ago. He carries on his father's tradition in many ways. Burt was a long-time advocate of all kinds of service programs. His love of the outdoors and sharing it with others was a gift that Kevin continues. Thanks Kevin!

Volunteers are an enormous help in providing the hands-on support needed to make accessible outdoor recreation opportunities possible for people with disabilities. Without them we could not provide the quality of service required for each individual who needs additional support. If you are interested in volunteering, email me at marcy.marchello@state.ma.us.

Now's the Time to Reserve Campsites - and Yurts!

Missing summer? Hankering for a little adventure? If you are considering camping this summer, now is the time to make reservations!If you are thinking that camping is a thing of the past for you, think again!

Camping has been made much more accessible in some Massachusetts State Parks with the use of yurts. These circular structures feature a door that locks, windows, a skylight, beds, table and chairs, ramped deck and electricity. Based on a portable structure from Mongolia, yurts have become a permanent and popular addition to camping in recent years.

Yurts come in two sizes - one that sleeps four and one that sleeps six people. This makes them great for families and small groups that want to camp but don't want to lug everything. They make an exceptionally convenient home away from home. Nightly fees run $30-$40 - more expensive then tent camping, but less expensive then a motel. You bring your sleeping bag, food, and other personal items and you are good to go!

In Massachusetts, the following parks have a few yurts in their campgrounds:

Cape Cod:

Nickerson State Park in Brewster

Shawme Crowell State Park in Sandwich

Central:

Otter River State Forest in Baldwinsville

Wells State Park in Sturbridge

Berkshires:

October Mountain State Forest in Lee

Now's the time to reserve for summer camping! Reservations start 6 months from the date you want to camp. You might want to check availability online at http://www.reserveamerica.com/ or call them at 1-877-ICAMPMA or 1-877-422-6762.

A few other critical points for those with severe disabilities:

The electrical capacity at yurt sites is good for lights, but not recommended for life dependent equipment such as ventilators. Electricity is not guaranteed as power outages can occur anytime.

There is usually a water spigot on the campsite, but no running water inside the yurt.

Nancy Minton 1947-2009

Nancy Minton passed on from this world on November 28, 2009 and she will be sadly missed.

I remember her from the very first program I coordinated for Universal Access. She came to a rowing demonstration at Elwell in September of 1995. This year, she came out rowing several times, all the way into October despite the cold.

Though her severe MS prevented her from rowing or paddling or cycling herself, Nancy enjoyed these activities nonetheless with support from caregivers and program staff and the use of adaptive equipment.

To witness her coming down to the river to get out on the water time and time again over the years was an inspiration. Knowing she had a degree in Physical Education and was once highly active herself, I can only imagine her frustration at not being more independent with these activities. In the early days, we often attempted adaptations to help her get some motion and use from her limbs, but the disease prevailed and prevented her from gaining much self propulsion. Undaunted, she just kept coming, a testament to her spirit and the importance of being out in the elements and enjoying the great outdoors.

One of my favorite memories of Nancy is canoeing on the Connecticut River a few years back. It was a hot day, not good for those with MS, but Nancy didn't want to miss out on a day on the river. Usually she came out for an hour at a time, so this trip represented a deeper experience she needed. She showed up wearing a funny straw hat with a built-in battery-powered mister attached to the brim, lots of sunscreen, and her ready-to-go attitude. The trip was a long one from Elwell to Easthampton and by the end Nancy was so exhausted she could barely speak, yet she was thrilled at her accomplishment in being present for such an adventure.

Farewell Nancy. Your memory is with us on the river!

You can read another tribute to Nancy at http://icecreamdiaries.blogspot.com/2009/12/regulars-rule.html