Pathfinders set for the slopes

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Saturday 1st Mar 2003.

A DOZEN disabled athletes from Swindon are today embarking on a skiing adventure in Austria after raising £18,000 for the challenge.

The skiers, aged 16 to 25, will spend a week on the piste at Innsbruck helped by a 15-strong team of Swindon volunteers.

They belong to Pathfinders ­ an extreme sports group for young people with physical disabilities. The members are proving themselves accomplished athletes. Four of them recently returned from the National Junior Disabled Games with 13 medals.

They first mastered skiing in 2000, when they raised £16,000 for a trip to Italy. Most of the skiers cannot walk. They navigate the slopes using sleigh-like bi-skis.

Staff at Swindon firm Intel took part in a sponsored walk to raise £5,000 towards their latest challenge.

A further £7,500 came from Swindon Town's share of the FA Charity Shield cash in 2001.

The balance was made up by fundraising by local groups and individuals, including the Pathfinders members and volunteers.

Danuta Janicka from the group said: "We're extremely grateful to all the people who have supported us. They have enabled us to set our members yet another inspirational challenge. "

Pathfinders spent more than a year trying to find an UK tour operator with the specialist skills to help them arrange the trip.

Danuta said: "Time was running out. We put out a plea for help on the internet and we were put in touch with a company called Ski Europe in Houston, Texas.

"Emails have been flying backwards and forwards across the Atlantic to make this challenge possible."

She added that Swindon firms, including Thomas Cook and Westsport., have also been extremely helpful.

The tourist authorities in Innsbruck have arranged apres-ski activities for the Pathfinders ­ including a Tyrolean evening and a meeting with Austrian commando unit, the Kobras.

One of the skiers, Steve Smith, 20, of Greenmeadow, said: "It will be an amazing experience. We've done a few dry slope sessions, but it will be brilliant to ski on real snow again. We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has helped."

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