Blind skier sets downhill record

[spanky]

Anyone ever try skiing with their eyes closed (even for a short time)?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...nt/4909602.stm

Blind skier sets downhill record

A former soldier who lost his sight when he was attacked in the street has set a new downhill speed skiing record by a blind person of 100.94mph.

Kevin Alderton, 34, from Dartford, Kent, set the record at Les Arcs in France. He was guided on the slope via radio speakers in his helmet.

Afterwards he said: "I feel absolutely amazing. It shows disability is no barrier to achievement."

Mr Alderton had his eyes gouged when he tried to stop a gang attacking a woman.

Fear 'channelled'

Before the attempt he said: "You have to have a streak of lunacy in you to even attempt anything like this."

Known as Kevin "Cannonball" Alderton, he was a keen skier before the gang attack in London eight years ago. He was left with 4% vision.

If I can inspire somebody to do something they would not normally do, my aims have been achieved
Kevin Alderton

On Friday morning, before making the attempt, he told the BBC: "The blindness was absolutely devastating.

"To live with a disability is hard enough. To try to readjust your life in every way is just huge."

He said he found himself able to ski again because of the charity St Dunstan's for blinded ex-servicemen.

"A friend of mine decided to ask if I was interested. I decided to go along and have a crack at it," he said.

"They put me back on skis and back on the road to where I am now.

'Aim to inspire'

"If I can inspire somebody to do something they would not normally do, my aims have been achieved.

"I'm not just doing it for fun. It is something I have always wanted to do.

"You need to look at the end goal, the end product. The training has been fantastic."

Mr Alderton has been selected for the Great Britain Adaptive Ski Team Development Squad and also hopes to compete in the 2008 World Championships and the 2010 Paralympics in Canada.

[72Twenty]

that's awesome!

[A-wreck]

Is it a record?
Or a record for a blind person?

And yes, I've closed my eyes a few times just to see how long I could do it before pussing out.

[mntlion]

can't see what he is going to crash into ....


congrats, very cool

[pechelman]

Anyone ever try skiing with their eyes closed (even for a short time)?

sometimes I blink

but i suppose thats not what youre talking about
freaking crazy to go that fast even with your eyes open imo

[erica_z]

I can scarcely imagine what it must be like to be going tha fast on ski's without being able to see. That dude has balls. Big ones.

[SkiCougar]

OUTSTANDING !

[Greydon Clark]

100 MPH sans eye site, ballsy.

A couple weeks ago at Kirkwood, I saw a blind skier on “The Wall” and several other un-groomed black diamond runs. It was pretty cool. (Also, the dude ate shit several times, rather spectacularly and didn’t really care. He stoked.)

[AbsolutStoli]

that IS inspiring. damn. that guy is amazing.

[hev]

WOW!! 100mph on skis is an achievement. doing it blind is just looney.

[Vets]

Great story.
I have skied with my eyes closed at a much slower speed.
Going over 100 MPH is amazing enough. Doing it while blind is outrageous.

[seatosky]

Wow. Amazing and inspirational.

[flatlander#2]

"wow, holy crap did you see how fast you were going"
"actually no, I didn't see a damn thing."

[ak_powder_monkey]

badass way badass