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Sports » Adaptive Snow Sports NZ » History of the New Zealand Disabled Ski Team
History of the New Zealand Disabled Ski Team
Winter sports for athletes with a disability gradually developed after World War II, as large numbers of injured soldiers and civilians tried to return to their skiing activities. Early pioneers such as double-leg amputee Sepp Zwicknagl from Austria experimented with skiing using prostheses.
It was in the 1970s that multi-disability skiing competitions started. In 1974, the first world championships were held in Grand Bornand in France, which featured Alpine (Downhill) and Nordic (Cross-Country) skiing for amputee and visually impaired athletes.
The first Paralympic Winter Games were held in 1976 in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden . There were competitions in Alpine and Nordic Skiing for amputee and visually impaired athletes, and a demonstration event in Sledge Racing.
The success of the first Games led to the second Winter Paralympics in 1980 in Geilo , Norway where New Zealand entered it's first Disabled Ski Team.
By the third Paralympic Winter Games in 1984, which were held at Innsbruck, the Disabled Ski Team were winning the New Zealand's first medals in international skiing competition.
From its inception in 1976, these teams were managed and sent to the Paralympic Games by Disabled Snowsports NZ. In 2006 Paralympics NZ took over the administration of the Paralympic Winter Games New Zealand Team.
2010 Winter Paralympic Games, Vancouver Canada
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Medals: |
Gold |
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Team: |
Adam Hall (LW1) Peter Williams (LW11) |
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Coaches |
Hiro Taniguchi Peter Sandford |
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Chef de Mission: Physio: |
Jon Turnball Andrew Duff |
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2006 Winter Paralympic Games, Torino, Italy
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Medals: |
None |
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Team: |
Adam Hall (LW1) Anthony (Ant) Field (LW6/8-1) |
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Coaches |
Jane Stevens |
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Chef de Mission / Team Manager: |
Gerald Davies |
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2002 Winter Paralympic Games, Salt Lake City, USA
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Medals: |
4 Gold 2 Bronze |
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Team: |
Rachael Battersby (LW6/3/1/4/5) |
Gold - Downhill Gold - GS Gold - Slalom |
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Steve Bayley (LW4) |
Gold - GS Bronze - Downhill Bronze - Super G |
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Coaches: |
Patrick Cooper Alan Bender |
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Chef de Mission / Team Manager: |
Janine Elliott |
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2000 Disabled Alpine World Championships, Anzere, Switzerland
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Medals: |
4 Silver 2 Bronze |
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Team: |
Rachael Battersby (LW6/3/1/4/5) |
Giant Slalom - Silver Bronze - Super G |
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Steve Bayley (LW4) |
Silver - Downhill |
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Mathew Butson (LW9/1/3/5) |
Silver - Downhill Bronze - Giant Slalom |
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Sue Gardiner (B2/3) Guide David Gardiner |
Silver - Slalom |
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Coach: |
Patrick Cooper |
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Chef de Mission / Team Manager: |
Janine Elliott |
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1998 Winter Paralympic Games, Nagano, Japan
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Medals: |
4 Gold 1 Silver 1 Bronze |
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Team: |
Rachael Battersby (LW6/3/1/4/5) |
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Steve Bayley (LW4) |
Bronze - Giant Slalom |
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Mathew Butson (LW9) |
Gold - Super G Gold - Giant Slalom Gold - Slalom Silver - Downhill |
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Sue Gardiner (B2/3) Guide: David Gardiner |
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Kevin O'Sullivan (LW1/3/5) |
Gold - Super G |
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Coach: |
Patrick Cooper Kevin Jardine |
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Chef de Mission / Team Manager: |
Janine Elliott |
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Physio: |
Gillian Hall |
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1996 Disabled Alpine World Championships, Lech, Austria
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Medals: |
4 Silver 2 Bronze |
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Team: |
Kevin Aleksich |
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Mathew Butson (LW9) |
Silver - Downhill Silver - Giant Slalom Bronze - Super G |
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Patrick Cooper (LW4) |
Silver - Super G |
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Joanne Duffy (B2) Guide: Jane Stevens |
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Kevin O'Sullivan (LW1/3/5) |
Silver - Giant Slalom Bronze - Slalom |
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Coach: |
Grant Jameson |
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Chef de Mission: |
Janine Elliott |
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Assistant |
Birgit Standke |
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1994 Winter Paralympics Team, Lillehammer, Norway
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Medals: |
3 Gold 3 Bronze |
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Team: |
Chris Adamson |
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Kevin Aleksich |
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Ed Bickerstaff |
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Mathew Butson (LW9) |
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Patrick Cooper (LW4) |
Gold - Super G Gold - Slalom Bronze - Giant Slalom |
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Joanne Duffy (B2) Guide: Ross James |
Gold - Downhill Bronze - Super G |
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Kevin O'Sullivan (LW1/3) |
Bronze - Slalom |
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Coach: |
Jim Davis |
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Chef de Mission: |
Janine Elliott |
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1992 Winter Paralympics Team, Albertville, France
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Medals: |
2 Gold |
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Team: |
Chris Adamson |
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Ed Bickerstaff |
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Patrick Cooper (LW4) |
Gold - Super G Gold - Slalom |
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Stuart Graham |
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Kevin O'Sullivan (LW1/3) |
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Devin Shanks |
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Mark Weeks |
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Coach: |
Danny Puffpaff |
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Chef de Mission: |
Janine Elliott |
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1990 Disabled Alpine World Championships, Winter Park, USA
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Medals: |
1 Bronze |
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Team: |
Ed Bickerstaff (LW6/8) |
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Patrick Cooper (LW4) |
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Stuart Graham (LW1) |
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Kevin O'Sullivan (LW1) |
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Lorraine Te Punga (LW2) |
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Angela Sew Hoy (Deaf) |
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Devin Shanks (LW1) |
Bronze - Downhill |
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Coach: |
Peter McCallum |
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Chef de Mission / Team Manager / Physio: |
Gillian Hall |
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1988 World Winter Games for the Disabled, Innsbruck, Austria
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Medals: |
1 Silver |
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Team: |
Ed Bickerstaff (LW6/8) |
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Patrick Cooper (LW4) |
Silver - Slalom |
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Lorraine Te Punga (LW2) |
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Coach: |
Peter McCallum |
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Chef de Mission / Team Manager: |
Paul Speight |
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Assistant: |
John Gainsford |
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1986 World Disabled Ski Championships, Salen, Sweden
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Medals: |
1 Gold 2 Silver |
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Team: |
Ed Bickerstaff (LW6/8) |
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Patrick Cooper (LW4) |
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Vivienne Martin (B2) Guide: Janice Walls |
Gold - GS Silver - Downhill Silver - 2nd Overall NZ Skier of the Year |
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Coach: |
Mike Curzon |
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Chef de Mission: |
Janice Walls |
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Assistant: |
Peter McCallum |
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1984 Winter Olympics Exhibition Competition, Innsbruck, Austria
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Medals: |
1 Gold 2 Silver 1 Bronze |
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Team: |
Ed Bickerstaff (LW6/8) |
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Denis Butler (LW2) |
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Martin (Marty) Clark (LW2) |
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Patricia (Trish) Craig (LW2) |
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Mark Edwards (LW3) |
Bronze - Downhill |
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Vivienne Martin (B2) Guide: Mike Curzon |
Gold - Giant Slalom Silver - Downhill |
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Chris Orr (B1) |
Silver - Downhill |
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Craig Philip (LW5/7) |
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Coach: |
David Boyd |
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Team Manager : |
Roger McGarry |
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Assistant: |
Lorraine Philip |
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Physio's: |
Mike Curzon Kay Shears |
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1980 World Winter Games for the Disabled, Geilo, Norway
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Medals: |
None |
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Team: |
Peter Baddely |
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Ed Nicholls |
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Craig Philips |
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Coach / Team Manager: |
David Boyd |
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Assistant: |
Lorraine Philip Shirley Nicholls |
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