TL;DR
Falls Creek welcomes members of the Australian Para-Alpine team, including Beijing Paralympian Josh Hanlon and visually-impaired athlete Georgia Gunew. The resort's new Disabled Winter Sports Hub provides an ideal training ground for these inspiring athletes as they push the boundaries of speed and skill on the slopes.
Falls Creek has had the privilege to host members of the Australian Para-Alpine team in resort this week, including sit-ski athlete Josh Hanlon (Beijing Paralympian from Wagga Wagga in NSW) and visually-impaired athlete Georgia Gunew (from Brisbane). Guiding Georgia was Amelia Hodgson from Jindabyne. Liana France, a Falls Creek Race Club athlete with an arm impairment following a farm vehicle accident, was also with the group - she is a development athlete for the team. “Amelia, my guide, is in front of me as we ski down the hill. We have awesome headsets that allow her to talk to me and let me know what’s coming up.explains para-alpine athlete.” — Georgia Gunew, Australian Para-alpine Athlete
Para Alpine Team visit August 2024. Credit: Vail Resorts Athletes in alpine skiing events combine speed and agility while racing down the slopes at speeds up to 100km per hour. Athletes with a physical or vision impairment may compete in para-alpine events, including slalom, giant slalom, and downhill. Skiers with a vision impairment are guided through the course by sighted guides using voice signals to indicate the course to follow and athletes with a physical impairment use equipment adapted to their needs, including single skis, sit-skis or orthopaedic aids.Falls Creek is the ideal location for para-alpine training and is home to the Disabled Winter Sports (DWA) Hub, which was new for the 2023 snow season.
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
