What they don’t tell you about being a disabled ski racer… … is how traumatising the process of classification can be. Every person needs to be ‘classified’ as being eligible to take part in para-alpine ski races, and are categorised on their level of disability. Here we share James’ experience of classification yesterday and the challenges around it.

Ski race training as a British ski racer is difficult, but particularly when completely unfunded and without a team. This is how we’ve crafted a programme of development that’s currently working well for us.

Visually impaired ski racing is tough. Not only do you have to learn how to ski race, but there’s a whole other level of work that needs to happen. Some people think disabled sport is somehow ‘less than’ able bodied sport. I think that disabled sport is more extreme than able bodied sport. It takes huge courage to even start and the below are some of the reasons why it' I just so challenging.

We didn’t know whether James would be reclassified, despite having ample evidence that he was eligible to be classified with medical tests, genetic tests and eye tests. We didn’t trust the system which had so spectacularly failed us. We didn’t know when James would get the opportunity to be reclassified. And we didn’t know whether it was worth hemorrhaging tens of thousands of pounds to pay for said ski training without a guarantee we could ever race again.

Many people ask how the para alpine ski races work. To be honest, until a couple of years ago I had no idea myself! The following is a beginner’s guide to the para alpine racing world, with no previous experience necessary. Racers who compete in World Para Alpine Ski races have to undergo a rigorous classification process by the International Paralympic Committee. There are three types of skiers; visually impaired; standing and sitting.

I’m often asked how I’ve managed to do it all. Pursuing my dream (ski racing with my sight impaired husband for Great Britain) while also holding down a data analysis day job was extremely difficult until very recently. I was working full time, yet also expected to spend 100 days on snow training with the British Parasnowsport team. It just wasn’t possible. However, after making some — quite radical — changes, I’ve managed to sculpt my life into a version which is the best of both worlds, without sacrificing anything.

The alarm goes off at 6am and I snooze until James hollers that breakfast is on the table. I’m not a morning person and my first thought is how much I hate having to get up. I love ski racing but hate the early starts! I mentally run through all the other sports I could have done that don’t require early starts so much, but within a couple of minutes I acknowledge that nothing can beat spending time in the mountains. And getting up early means we catch the best snow of the day. As much as I hate to admit it, getting up before the sun is worth it.

James and I started ski racing together in November 2016. I ski in front of James, leading him down the race course both verbally and with him following my bright yellow bib. When we first started racing together, our coach told us that visually impaired ski racers are notoriously secretive about the words they use as they don’t want to give their competitors an advantage. Indeed, when trying to search for information about potential guide words myself last summer, I struggled to find any information online. We don’t believe this philosophy. We would rather share what we’re currently using to support our friends and competitors on the race circuit, and to also give ideas and inspiration to newer athletes.

I wish I didn’t know about this. I truly don’t. But unfortunately, last November, the seemingly impossible happened. The International Paralympic Committee stripped my severely sight impaired husband (the new term for technically ‘blind’ in the UK) of his para alpine ski racing licence, stating that he could suddenly ‘see’ too well.

It was March 2018, and James had just finished his 2017/18 winter season ski racing for Great Britain as part of the British Parasnowsport Development Team. While there had been benefits whilst being with the team - and he and I both had learnt a hell of a lot while working with them - for various reasons that I won’t go into here, we decided to go independent for the foreseeable future. What does ‘going independent’ mean in reality when para alpine ski racing for GB?

As newer ski racers, we understand how daunting the ski racing world can be. There are so many options for racing equipment and everyone has an opinion about what to use. The following is a list of the kit we currently use because, well, we just think it’s the best! Do let us know if you have any more ideas or other pieces to try.