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Bridgenorth skier takes Bronze in national competition in B.C.

by Anita Locke

Eighteen-year-old disabled downhill skier Sandy Robinson of Bridgenorth added another piece of hardware to her already impressive collection of medals when she won bronze at the Nationals in British Columbia a few weeks ago.

She was competing with athletes from around the world including Japan and Britain. Some of those same competitors had competed at the 2010 Paralympic Games in Vancouver just weeks before.

The Canadian Para-Alpine Championships were held at Mount Washington Resort on Vancouver Island from March 21-28.

A member of the Ontario Para-Alpine Ski team since 2008, she has won a spot on the podium a number of times.

In 2009 she was a Provincial bronze medalist in junior women’s slalom and National bronze medalist in the junior women’s slalom. She was also named Ontario’s Para Alpine’s Rookie of the Year in 2009.

In 2010, she won silver in junior women’s slalom and junior women’s giant slalom at the provincial level, and a bronze medal in junior women’s giant slalom at the national level.

She was also a torch bearer for the 2010 Winter Olympics Torch Run in December. She carried the torch in Whitby after earning a spot with the I.Coke crew.

In order to qualify, she entered her name, along with thousands of others, and was ultimately selected following a successful essay outlining her ski racing, the importance of being active, and her accomplishments and volunteer work. She also got online every day for 10 months answering trivia questions.

Being born with cerebral palsy has not slowed her down a bit. In fact, she has actively participated in sports for the disabled since she was very young.

She started skiing at the age of 10. Initially using ski poles called outriggers (these are poles that have short ski blades on the end which help the skier with balance) for the first six seasons, she now uses regular ski poles.

She has also been involved in other sports – sledge hockey, basketball, adaptive riding (horseback riding), wheelchair racing and others.

This summer she will also be competing as a member of the Peterborough Rowing Club as their first adaptive rower.

A Grade 12 student at St. Peter’s High School, she has been actively involved, and continues to be, in other pursuits and community involvement.

For the past four years, she has participated in the Model United Nations (UN) in Amsterdam, and was awarded third prize for her contributions in her council at this year’s Trent conference.

She received the Province of Ontario Volunteerism Award in June 2007 for her work at Lang Pioneer Village where she works as an interpreter.

She has also been a member of the St. Peter’s Saint’s Action (social justice organization) and ECOS (Environmental and Conservation Organization of Schools) throughout her years at the school.

She says, “Five Counties Children’s Centre has been an important part of my life since I was born. I have been receiving treatment there (especially physiotherapy) since I was a baby. They have been there every step of the way, including through all the surgeries I’ve had.”

When she carried the Olympic Torch in December, she says, “Four of the staff came with our family and friends to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime occasion with us.”

Sandy is the daughter of Sue and Brian Robinson. She credits her parents, calling them “my greatest supporters. If not for them, I would never have been able to have such an active and fulfilling life.”

Her goal is to compete in the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Russia. She eventually hopes to pursue a career in Political Science and Law.

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