Britain’s Most Decorated Winter Paralympian, Menna Fitzpatrick Wins Silver and Bronze at the 2023 Para Alpine Worlds
Season 1, Episode 1574, Feb 10, 2023, 09:00 AM
Visually impaired skier Menna Fitzpatrick became Britain’s most decorated Paralympic skier after winning a silver and bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympic Games with her guide skier Gary Smith.
Menna and her guide skier Katie Guest have just come back from the 2023 Para Alpine World Championships in Spain with a silver in the Giant Slalom and a bronze in the Slalom to add to Menna’s growing medal tally.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Menna to find out more about how she and Katie got on at the 2023 Para Alpine Worlds.
Menna began by giving Toby a run down on how the conditions were on the slopes out in Spain, what the competition was like and how close the skiing was.
Then Menna explained to Toby how she and Katie work together when skiing, how menna has to rely more on the radio coms between her and Katie when the conditions on the slopes are not so good for the level of vision she has especially when it is very sunny and there are very light and very dark patches on the slopes.
Toby ended by asking Menna whether she and Katie have their sights on competing in the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy and how she and the rest of the team relax when they are not training or competing.
If you would like to find out more about how to get into skiing and take your first steps out on the slopes as a blind or partially sighted person, then do visit the Disability Snow Sport UK website for more details on how to start skiing - https://www.disabilitysnowsport.org.uk
(Image shows Menna competing in a slalom race in her GB kit and turning tightly past a blue flag. In the foreground and out of focus is her guide skier Katie can be seen skiing and wearing a hi-vis orange jacket)
Menna and her guide skier Katie Guest have just come back from the 2023 Para Alpine World Championships in Spain with a silver in the Giant Slalom and a bronze in the Slalom to add to Menna’s growing medal tally.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Menna to find out more about how she and Katie got on at the 2023 Para Alpine Worlds.
Menna began by giving Toby a run down on how the conditions were on the slopes out in Spain, what the competition was like and how close the skiing was.
Then Menna explained to Toby how she and Katie work together when skiing, how menna has to rely more on the radio coms between her and Katie when the conditions on the slopes are not so good for the level of vision she has especially when it is very sunny and there are very light and very dark patches on the slopes.
Toby ended by asking Menna whether she and Katie have their sights on competing in the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy and how she and the rest of the team relax when they are not training or competing.
If you would like to find out more about how to get into skiing and take your first steps out on the slopes as a blind or partially sighted person, then do visit the Disability Snow Sport UK website for more details on how to start skiing - https://www.disabilitysnowsport.org.uk
(Image shows Menna competing in a slalom race in her GB kit and turning tightly past a blue flag. In the foreground and out of focus is her guide skier Katie can be seen skiing and wearing a hi-vis orange jacket)