Kelowna sit-skier conquers Big White
Twelve-year-old sit skier Samuel Peters was born requiring an above-knee amputation to both of his legs, but that hasn’t held him back.
For the last six years, Peters has been learning to sit-ski with help from Powder Hounds and People in Motion, a non-profit organization that gives individuals with sensory or physical disabilities an opportunity to enjoy skiing with adaptive equipment.
Volunteers at Powder Hounds helped him start out. First, they taught him to use outriggers, which helped him steer his sit-ski, then upgraded to using a tether, which allows the volunteer to steer or stop him if necessary.
Now, Peters skis independently.
“It was a challenge, everything was brand new. Even just sitting upright and maintaining balance was new for me,” he said.
“I like activities I can overcome and get really good at.”
Peters doesn’t think he’s doing anything inspiring, but he believes he’s trying to do something other people do in a different way.
He added he plans on improving his sit-skiing skills.
“It’s all about going faster and trying to have a really good time in a safe way.”
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Kelowna runner shatters Canadian women’s marathon record
Malindi Elmore. (Contributed)
Kelowna runner Malindi Elmore ran an incredible 2:24:50 at the Houston Marathon, shattering the Canadian women’s marathon record on Jan. 19.
Elmore beat Rachel Cliff’s time of 2:26:56, which was set in March 2019.
“It feels like it’s been a 25-year-project,” Elmore said.
“There’s a lot of chapters to it, but most recently in the last few months it’s just been a lot of running, a lot of patience and consistency, training hard and putting my nose down and getting ready for it.”
Elmore represented Canada in Beijing for the 2001 Summer Universiade, then again in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. She competed again in the Commonwealth Games in 2006 and in 2011 at the Pan Am Games.
She retired in 2010, but decided to get back into running.
Elmore said she attributes her success to hard work and a love for the sport.
“I have a love for running and that never went away,” she said.
“All the years (of training) have helped. Also, just being in a good place with life. I’ve got two kids and I think all those kinds of things take the pressure off and help you reach your potential.”
