Monoskiing is a popular winter sport where individuals with paralysis can experience the thrill of the slopes. If you’ve ever been curious about monoskiing, these first-hand accounts should convince you that it’s something you should try.
At 0:24, Fred says he tried monoskiing just one week after his release from the hospital. “I fell in love with it,” he shares. “I had the same sense of speed I had when I was able bodied.”
At 0:35, Chris agrees, saying “It’s one of those few sports you can get involved with as an injured individual and still have the same thrill you had as an able-bodied person. It offers you almost the exact dynamic that you had prior to your injury.”
Jump to 1:20, and hear Bruce talk about the peace he felt when he first tried monoskiing (also called sit skiing).
“I got up in the mountains in the sun with the snow, and I’m breathing the air again, and looking at everything … just getting in and moving – not very fast – trying to figure out how to turn this thing … falling over and getting covered in snow … it just felt great.”
At 1:53, Ricci describes how monoskiing allows her to take part in a fun winter activity with her family. “It’s like kayaking down a mountain,” she says. “I feel free.” Ricci admits that mastering monoskiing takes a while, but hard work and persistence pays off. “I’ve learned to adapt, and now it’s all I want to do.”
At 2:40, Curt talks about how he used to be a pilot before he was injured. “The speed, and the thrill, and the perfection of technique … reminds me of what I did with my flying.”
At 3:05, Susan, who had polio as a child, began monoskiing 37 years ago. “I was hooked for life,” she says of her first experience with the sport.
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