A
20-YEAR association between Disabled Winter Sports Australia and
the ADF Alpine Snowsports Association (AASA) has been bonded by
the presentation of a framed photo marking this strategic snowsport
alliance.
Disabled
Winter Sports Australia holds its annual championships as part
of the ADF’s annual National Interservice Alpine Snowsports
Championships, with the disabled athletes using the event as their
final Australian selection trials for World Cup and Paralympic
teams.
This year the ‘Manugistics ADF Alpine Interservices Championships’
are at Mt Buller from August 10-15.
The reason for combining with AASA is because the disabled association
does not have the resources to conduct ‘Federation Internationale
de Ski’ (FIS) standard races, and the ADF is one of the few
organisations that conduct races at this level providing a world
class event for both ADF and disabled skiers and snowboarders.
Recently, Disabled Winter Sports Australia presented a framed
photograph of the 2002 Paralympic team to thank AASA for its ongoing
support.
“The association between the two organisations has been long
and fruitful and many firm bonds and friendships have been made,”
said vice-president of the ADF Alpine Snowsports Association LTCOL
Bunny Carrigan.
“It has been wonderful over the past 25 or so years for Defence
skiers to participate in the same event as disabled skiers and
in many cases to be beaten by them, and to then see those skiers
go on to compete at an international level and win gold medals
for Australia.
“It has been wonderful for Defence to know that we have had
a considerable affect on this outcome.”
