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Josh Dueck in action. (Photo taken from Dueck's Facebook account)
By Pieter Uni
They will represent their respective sports, they will represent the home nation and they will represent the Okanagan.
Of the 46 Canadian paralympians competing in the Vancouver Paralympics beginning today, three will represent the Okanagan. Here are profiles for all the competitors that will represent Kelowna, and Vernon.
Josh Dueck – Alpine Skiing
Before breaking his back trying to complete a Superman front-flip in 2004, Dueck competed in freestyle skiing at the provincial level. The 29-year-old, who won the 2009 world sit-ski downhill championship in South Korea, trains out of Silver Star Mountain Resort with coach J.S. Labrie and will be competing in five different events during the games.
Dueck’s schedule:
- Men’s Downhill – Sitting – March 13 – 1 p.m. – Whistler Creekside
- Men’s Super-G – Sitting – March 14 – 10:35 a.m. – Whistler Creekside
- Men’s Slalom – Sitting - March 14 – 10:55 a.m. – Whistler Creekside
- Men’s Super Combined – Sitting – March 16 – 9:35 a.m. – Whistler Creekside
- Men’s Giant Slalom – Sitting – March 19 – 11 a.m. – Whistler Creekside
Ina Forrest – Wheelchair Curling
As a member of the British Columbia Wheelchair Curling Team, she won silver in the 2004 and 2005 National Wheelchair Curling Championships. The 47-year-old who curls out of the Vernon Curling Club, is coached by Joe Rea. Forrest, a property manager, counts photography, skiing, horses, as some of her hobbies.
Forrest’s schedule:
- Round robin game versus Great Britian – March 13 – 1 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus United States – March 13 – 6 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Norway – March 14 – 12:30 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Japan – March 15 – 12:30 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Sweden – March 15 – 6 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Switzerland – March 16 – 12:30 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Germany – March 17 – 12:30 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus South Korea – March 17 – 6 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Italy – March 18 – 6 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Semi-final – March 20 – 10 a.m. - Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Final – March 20 – 3:30 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
Sonja Gaudet – Wheelchair Curling
An an ambassador with the Rick Hansen Foundation, Gaudet is also involved with the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Gaudet, who suffered a spinal cord injury after falling from a horse, is the only returning member of the Canadian team that won gold at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.
Gaudet’s schedule:
- Round robin game versus Great Britian – March 13 – 1 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus United States – March 13 – 6 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Norway – March 14 – 12:30 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Japan – March 15 – 12:30 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Sweden – March 15 – 6 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Switzerland – March 16 – 12:30 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Germany – March 17 – 12:30 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus South Korea – March 17 – 6 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Round robin game versus Italy – March 18 – 6 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Semi-final – March 20 – 10 a.m. - Vancouver Paralympic Centre
- Final – March 20 – 3:30 p.m. – Vancouver Paralympic Centre
Tags: Alpine Skiing, Ina Forrest, Josh Dueck, Kelowna, Sonja Gaudet, Vancouver Paralympics, vernon, Wheelchair Curling
