 Tait in April 2021 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Australia |
| Born | 11 April 1991 |
| Sport | |
| Country | Australia |
| Sport | Para-alpine skiing |
| Disability class | LW11 |
| Event(s) | Super-G giant slalom slalom |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Paralympic finals | 2018 Winter Paralympics |
Sam Tait (born 11 April 1991) [1] is an Australian Paralympic alpine skier who represented Australia at the 2018 Winter Paralympics and 2022 Winter Paralympics. [2]
Tait was born on 11 April 1991. On 27 April 2013, he had a motorcycle accident Wollongong, New South Wales resulted in him breaking his T11 vertebra and becoming a paraplegic. [3] Tait attended Chevalier College with his twin brother James. [4] He has completed a two-year course in computer-aided design detailing at TAFE.
In 2020, Tait became the first paraplegic to climb Mount Kosciuszko without mechanical assistance. It took Tait seven hours to complete the 16 km route. [5]
He lives in Mittagong, New South Wales. [6]
Prior to his accident, Tait was an able-bodied skier. His parents own Corroboree Ski Lodge at Perisher Ski Resort. [1] In 2014, he took up sit- skiing and became a member of the Australian Para-alpine skiing development squad. [1] Tait made his debut for Australia in Landgraaf, the Netherlands in late 2016. At the 2017 IPC Alpine Skiing Europa Cup in Veysonnaz, Switzerland, he finished fourth in the men’s Super-G. [1] He is coached by Chris McKnight. [1]
In 2017, Australian National University engineering students undertook a project to design and manufacture a lower leg protective enclosure for him to use while sit skiing. [7] During the nation's pandemic in 2021, a University of New South Wales engineering group underwent a student project to design and manufacture a suitable prototype for a fixed rowing seat in Sam's possible transition to Olympic rowing. The student group included a partner of the manufacturing company ProtoMake, Michael Salem along with Mechatronic / Biomedical Engineer and designer for disability Phillip Ringer accompanied by designers Siddh Rawal, Sinead McCraith and Harry Boot. [8]
At the 2018 Winter Paralympics, he competed in five events - 11th in the men's Downhill Sitting, 17th in the men's giant slalom Sitting and did not finish in three events. [9]
At the 2019 World Para Alpine Skiing Championships in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, he finished sixth in the men's Downhill Sitting and tenth in the men's giant slalom Sitting. [10]
At the 2022 Winter Paralympics, Tait completed in three events. He finished 22nd in the men's giant slalom Sitting and failed to finish in the men's Downhill Sitting and Super G Sitting. [11]
Australia has competed in every Winter Paralympics. In 1976, the first Games, Australia's sole competitor was Ron Finneran, but he was not an official entrant. In 1980, Kyrra Grunnsund and Peter Rickards became the first official competitors, in alpine and cross-country skiing. The number of Australian athletes increased to three, five, five and six at the next four games, respectively, and all of the athletes were alpine skiers. The participation decreased to four in 1998 and climbed back up to six in 2002. Australia won its first Winter Paralympic medals in 1992, and has medalled at every games since then. All of the medals have been won in alpine skiing.
Paralympic alpine skiing is an adaptation of alpine skiing for athletes with a disability. The sport evolved from the efforts of disabled veterans in Germany and Austria during and after the Second World War. The sport is governed by the International Paralympic Committee Sports Committee. The primary equipment used includes outrigger skis, sit-skis, and mono-skis. Para-alpine skiing disciplines include the downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, super combined, and snowboard.
Paralympic alpine skiing has been competed at the Winter Paralympic Games since they were first held in 1976. Events include men's and women's downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, and combined.
Robert Fröhle is an Austrian para-alpine skier. He represented Austria at the Winter Paralympics in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
Australia sent a delegation to compete at the 1988 Winter Paralympics in Innsbruck, Austria, which was held between 17–24 January 1988. This marked the nation's fourth appearance at the Winter Paralympics. The delegation sent a group of five alpine skiers as they wouldn't get a medal in these games.
The 1994 Winter Paralympics were held in Lillehammer, Norway. Australia sent six male skiers, who won three gold, two silver and four bronze medals. Australia, at the time, achieved their best ever performance at a Winter Paralympics, finishing 5th overall in the alpine skiing competition, 9th in the medal standings, and 11th in the total medal count out of 31 nations.
Cameron Rahles-Rahbula is a former Paralympic alpine skier from Australia. He won two bronze medals at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver. He represented Australia in four Paralympics, stating with the 2002 Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City and the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Torino. He did not compete in any events at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi due to knee and ankle injuries sustained during the warm up for the downhill event of the Games but carried the Australian flag in the Parade of Nations at the Opening Ceremony. He also won two gold medals and a silver medal at the 2004 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Wildschönau, Austria, and a gold and a bronze medal at the 2009 World Championships in Jeongseon, Korea. He retired after the Sochi Games.
LW12 is a para-alpine and para-Nordic sit skiing sport class defined by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). An LW12 skier needs to meet a minimum of one of several conditions including a single below knee but above ankle amputation, monoplegia that exhibits similar to below knee amputation, legs of different length where there is at least a 7 centimetres difference, combined muscle strength in the lower extremities less than 71. For international competitions, classification is done through IPC Alpine Skiing or IPC Nordic Skiing. For sub-international competitions, classification is done by a national federation such as Alpine Canada. For para-alpine, this class is subdivided into two subclasses.: LW12.1 and LW12.2. A new sit-skier competitor with only national classification will compete as LW12.2 in international competitions until they have been internationally classified.
LW11 is a para-alpine and para-Nordic sit skiing sport class, a classification defined by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC for people with paralysis in the lower extremities and people with cerebral palsy that affects the lower half of the body. Outside of skiing, the competitor in this class is unable to walk. For international competitions, classification is done through IPC Alpine Skiing or IPC Nordic Skiing. For sub-international competitions, classification is done by a national federation such as Alpine Canada.
LW10 is a para-alpine and para-Nordic sit-skiing classification for skiers who cannot sit up without support. For international skiing competitions, classification is conducted by IPC Alpine Skiing and IPC Nordic Skiing, while national federations such as Alpine Canada handle classification for domestic competitions.
LW2 is a para-alpine and para-Nordic standing ski sport class defined by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Competitors in this class have severe disability in a lower limb, which may be a result of an amputation, or arthrodesis in the leg and hip. Depending on the type of skiing, the international classification process for LW2 skiers is handled by the IPC Alpine Skiing Technical Committee and IPC Nordic Skiing Technical Committee. National sport federations handle classification on the lower levels.
LW5/7 is a standing para-alpine and para-Nordic skiing classification for skiers with upper extremity issues in both limbs that may include double amputation of both arms and hands or dysmelia of the upper limbs. The class has three subclasses defined by the location of the disability on the upper extremities. International classification is done by IPC Alpine Skiing and IPC Nordic Skiing. On the national level, classification is handled by national sports federation such as Cross-Country Canada.
Melissa Perrine is a B2 classified visually impaired para-alpine skier from Australia. She has competed at the four Winter Paralympics from 2010 to 2022. At the 2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships, she won three gold, one silver and one bronze medals. At the 2018 Winter Paralympics, she won two bronze medals.
Mitchell Gourley is an Australian Paralympic alpine skier who competed for Australia in the downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom and super combined events at four Winter Paralympics - 2010 to 2022. He was Australian team co-captain with Joany Badenhorst at the 2018 Winter Paralympics. At the 2022 Winter Paralympics, he and Melissa Perrine carried the Australian flag in the opening ceremony. At the 2017 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Tarvisio, Italy he won the gold medal in the men's Super Combined Standing.
Mark Soyer is an Australian para-alpine LW11 classified skier. He dealt with leukaemia twice as a child. At the age of 26, he severed his spinal cord during an accident while riding his motorbike on his parents' farm, and subsequently tried several different sports. Working as a manufacturing jeweller and gemologist in Melbourne, he has also been involved with para-skiing as a volunteer, and serving in administrative roles for various organisations. In 2007, he was a finalist for the Pride of Australia awards for courage.
Victoria "Tori" Pendergast is an Australian F58 athletics shot put competitor and LW12.1 classified Para-alpine skier. When she competed at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, she became Australia's first female sit skier at the Winter Paralympics. She competed in two events, finishing seventh in women's slalom sit-ski and tenth in the women's giant slalom sit-ski. She also won a silver and a bronze medal in the slalom and super-G at the 2013 North America Cup, and a bronze medal in the giant slalom at the 2013 IPC World Cup in Thredbo.
Jonty O'Callaghan is an Australian para-alpine skier who competes in downhill racing. He represented Australia at the 2018 Winter Paralympics and was selected for 2022 Winter Paralympics but withdrew from the team due to a serious training accident on 17 February 2022 that led to concussion and a broken collarbone.
Patrick Jensen is a B2 classified visually impaired Para-alpine skier from Australia. He represented Australia at the 2018 Winter Paralympics and the 2022 Winter Paralympics.
The Netherlands sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, held between 7–16 March 2014. The Netherlands delegation consisted of seven competitors, all of which were competing in sports under the alpine skiing banner. Bibian Mentel won the nation's only medal at these Paralympics, a gold in women's snowboard cross. With one gold medal, the Netherlands ranked a joint 14th place on the medal table with Switzerland.
Niels de Langen is a Dutch para-alpine skier. He won two medals in alpine skiing at the 2022 Winter Paralympics.
