Adaptive Skiing
adaptiveMainstreamEurope, 1940
Alpine and Nordic skiing modified for athletes with physical disabilities, using specialized equipment from sit-skis to outriggers. Adaptive skiing proves that the mountain belongs to everyone.
History
Adaptive skiing began with injured World War II veterans in Europe and the United States. The first organized programs appeared in the 1940s and 1950s. The Winter Paralympics, first held in 1976, gave adaptive skiing a global competitive platform.
Culture
Adaptive skiing culture is defined by possibility. The community rejects limitations and continuously innovates equipment and technique. It has expanded the definition of what it means to ride and who gets to do it.