Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Sabrina Byrnes
Sudbury's Paralympian Jeff Dickson finished off the alpine ski
season on the podium after claiming a gold medal in the
Super G race at the IPC US Nationals in Colorado, April 1.
The athlete had a busy month of skiing, beginning with the
World Cup Finals in Whistler the second week of March, followed
by the Telus Para-Alpine Ski Championships - where he took home
a silver and bronze in the Slalom and Giant Slalom - and
finally a gold medal at the US Nationals.
Dickson, 42, said it was a great way to finish off his season.
"I beat some of the best in the world," he said. "For me to
finish my season, on the very last day winning the Super G
race, justifies my continuing to compete and possibly going to
the Paralympics next year."
Representing Canada at the 2010 Winter Games is a goal the
skier has his heart set on.
Dickson became disabled at the age of 19 after being involved
in a motorcycle accident. The accident resulted in the
paralysis of his left arm and the amputation of his left foot.
The athlete grew up skiing on the Adanac Ski Hill. Three years
after his accident, Dickson became involved in the adaptive
sport.
"I have friends around the world now. Some of them started when
I started and they're still ski racing. It's good to go to
different parts of North America and be able to hang out with
some close friends I've known over the past 20 years," Dickson
said.
It's the adrenaline of the sport he said he particularly
enjoys.
"Just the freedom of being out on the mountains. There's no
other rush like going 125 km on a pair of skis."
That passion led Dickson to the 1992 Paralympics, where we won
a gold and two bronze medals for Canada in the slalom, Super G
and downhill races. He was selected to the national team to
compete in the 2006 Paralympics, but had not fully recovered
from a knee surgery the year prior and could not compete.
After 20 years of ski racing, Dickson said he hopes this past
season will show he still has what it takes to compete in 2010.
"I wouldn't do it if I didn't think I could win. I know if I
had the amount of training and days on snow that the rest of
the guys have, I believe I could be on the podium," he said.
Dickson is a full-time real estate appraiser, so he's only been
able to commit to the sport part-time, whereas his competition
is training on a regular basis.
Since October, Dickson was able to train one week each month,
either in Colorado or out west. If given the opportunity to
compete next year, he will make a decision about putting his
career on hold to train.
While he hasn't had the training opportunities, Dickson was
still able to bring in the medals.
He won the Giant Slalom at the Ontario Championships in
February before heading to Whistler to compete in the World
Cup.
He said his performance at the World Cup wasn't what he had
hoped for though.
He crashed in the second run of the Giant Slalom, and went down
hard, landing on his back and smacking his head.
"The next day I raced slalom and I was injured, so I basically
just finished," Dickson said.
"I wasn't really skiing at a 100 per cent, but that's ski
racing."
While the World Cup wasn't Dickson's best performance, he
continued to prove himself in the competitions.
"I think I proved I have what it takes to win," Dickson said,
adding he hopes that win gets him a spot on the national
roster.
Right now, it's still up in the air whether or not Dickson will
compete in 2010. Dickson will have to compete and place in the
top 12 at the next two World Cup championships, beginning in
January, for a chance to qualify.
Mike Clarke, one of Dickson's coaches with the Canadian
Para-Alpine Ski-Team Development Group, said he hopes Dickson
will have a chance to compete.
"He's proved himself that he's our top guy in his category,"
said Clarke.
The coach said it was a grueling month and Dickson came out
better in the end.
"I hope he can ... get into the World Cup next year and qualify
for the Paralympics and hopefully finish his career on a high
note."
For now, Dickson said he will take things one day at time.
"I believe I can be on the podium and because of that, I'll do
what it takes to get there."
