British Paralympic Legends Prepare For World Class Para Snow sport Programme

The British World Class Para Snow Sport squad has been confirmed by GB Snow sport with a number of experienced, paralympic legends joined by world class athletes and a host of new upcoming talent in the nations largest ever global programme for Para snow sports.

Paralympic medallists Menna Fitzpatrick, Kelly Gallagher and Millie Knight are joined by new selections Shona Brownlee and Dan Sheen in the Para Alpine squad alongside invitational athlete, Alex Slegg. Three new Para Alpine guides join the squad ranks for the first time, with Lachlan Veitch, Adam Hall and Katie Guest joining returning names in Gary Smith, Brett Wild and Andrew Simpson.

The Para Nordic squad remains unchanged from the 2020/21 season with Scott Meenagh, Callum Deboys, Steve Arnold and Steve Thomas all selected to represent the Great Britain in the year ahead.

In Para Snowboard, talent transfer Jon-Allan Butterworth is named in the Para Snowboarding squad, having announced his retirement from Para Cycling in January, where he will compete alongside James Barnes-Miller, Owen Pick, Andy Macleod and Ollie Hill, who joins up with the squad for the first time.

Pat Sharples, GB Snowsport Head Coach, said: "We're delighted to be able to announce such a strong Para Snowsport squad to represent Britain in the coming season – the biggest ever Para Snowsport World Class Programme in the nation's history. Having so much Paralympic experience in the ranks is a huge benefit to the whole squad and we're excited by what we will be able to achieve over the next twelve months.

"Across the world, the competitiveness of Para Snowsport is growing every year, and with this squad we believe Britain can hold its own in the biggest competitions."

Menna Fitzpatrick, four-time Paralympic medallist and member of the Para Alpine squad, said:

"I'm really looking forward to getting underway with the new season. We've got a great team this year, and after a frustrating year for all of us in 2020/21 we're all really looking forward to getting back out on the slopes, putting in some big results and focusing in on the Paralympic Winter Games in March."

A wide variety of different disciplines will be represented in the programme of snowsports. This will mean that many different athletes will get the chance to compete and be awarded for their achievements. Amongst the athletes competing will be:

Para Alpine

Shona Brownlee

She began competing in sport in 2014 through the Armed Forces Para Snowsport team in Great Britain. From doing this, she was encouraged to take up the sport seriously.

"I'd never skied before my injury. It's a cliche, but it's true that skiing gives you freedom. Everyone is on the same mountain regardless of whether or not they have been injured."

That's according to Shona when asked what made her take up the sport following her competing in a tournament. This should serve as a message of encouragement to anyone else who may be thinking of taking up the sport but may think they are disadvantaged due to injury or disability. It will show them what they can achieve when they really try to overcome any obstacles that they may have in their way and serve as a real positive role model for other disabled athletes.

Menna Fitzpatrick

She has congenital retinal folds meaning she has had no vision in her left eye and limited vision in her right since birth. Despite this, she learned to ski and was discovered by a coach whilst skiing at the Chill Factore Indoor slope in Manchester in 2010.

Other competitors include:

Kelly Gallagher, Millie Knight, Dan Sheen*, Neil Simpson, Alex Slegg

PARA ALPINE GUIDES

Katie Guest*, Adam Hall*, Andrew Simpson, Gary Smith, Lachlan Veitch*, Brett Wild

PARA NORDIC

Steve Arnold, Callum Deboys, Scott Meenagh, Steve Thomas

PARA SNOWBOARD

James Barnes-Miller, Jon-Allan Butterworth*, Ollie Hill*, Andy Macleod, Owen Pick