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CANADA United Nations |
By Tom Hodges
The 2023 Interski congress in Levi, Finland, proved to be a historic event for the adaptive snowsports community, with representatives from all over the world coming together to progress their discipline and put it in the spotlight. Following from the amazing representation of Adaptive team members and trainers at the 2019 Interski congress in Bulgaria, Levi Interski continued to build a strong legacy of Adaptive instruction for the Interski movement. While I had been in touch with these Adaptive team members and trainers between both congresses, especially as the whole industry was moved online during the Covid pandemic lockdowns, it was so exciting to see the other adaptive team members in person again, and once again share the vision of the global adaptive movement within the instruction industry.
The Adaptive Gathering on day one was spearheaded by Ina Sohn-Rajamäki, leader of the Finnish adaptive team, who sought to unite all the adaptive delegations in one forum. This set the tone for the rest of the congress, with representatives from at least 12 countries, including Sweden, USA, Great Britain, Ireland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and of course, Finland and Australia. However, this was not just an assembly of National Demo Team members. Adaptive athletes, students, instructors, supporters, and allies were also in attendance, with the notable inclusion of Steven and Verity Davis-Raiss, Erik Flekander, and Keith Jeffers who were in Levi as APSI Supporters. Finnish sit skiers, Tea Latvala, and Paralympian and Levi Ambassador, Maiju Laurila, also attended the gathering, keen to share their adaptive stories and welcome everyone to the hill they regularly ski at. The Finnish group Napaketut, which runs a program for the Finnish Special Olympics alpine group, spoke about the growing movement of support for the Special Olympics in Finland.
Over the five days of the congress, this group came to be known as the United Nations of Adaptive Instructors, with new members joining every day attending on snow workshops as well as indoor lectures to explore the full spectrum of adaptive snowsports instruction. From sit snowboarding with the Dutch team to Nordic skiing for people with cognitive disabilities with the Polish delegation, every aspect of adaptive instruction was scrutinised, analyzed, explored, interrogated, and discussed.
The congress provided a platform for opinions to be shared, and ideas to be challenged. The United Nations of Adaptive Instructors seized this opportunity to engage in productive and lively discussions, with an emphasis on sharing best practices and learning from each other. I can’t wait to share these learnings with all APSI members over coming SnowPro articles, newsletters and on-snow sessions over the coming season.
On the final night of Interski in Levi, the United Nations of Adaptive Instructors came together one last time for a mixed-nation, mixed-discipline, all-inclusive demonstration pass at the closing ceremony. This was a historic moment, as it was the first time that such a demonstration had taken place at Interski. The unity and collaboration of this group were inspiring, humbling, and exciting all at once.
The congress served as a reminder of how far the adaptive snowsports community has come, but it also highlighted the need for continued progress and support. The United Nations of Adaptive Instructors demonstrated how important it is for the global adaptive movement to continue to grow, develop, and work together towards a common goal.
As a member of the APSI National Team, I am proud to be part of this movement and excited to bring all that I have learned from adaptive instruction at the Interski Congress to my colleagues and students back home. The congress provided a unique opportunity to learn from the best, share experiences, and be part of a community that is dedicated to making adaptive snowsports more inclusive, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone.
At the conclusion of Interski in Bulgaria 2019 I said that the future looks bright for Adaptive Snowsports all over the world, and I am so proud that this was more true than I could have ever dreamed. With events like the 2023 Interski congress in Levi, Finland playing a critical role in driving this progress. I am thrilled to be part of this exciting journey and can't wait to see what the future holds for the global adaptive movement.
