Funds forthcoming for disabled ski team

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 510, 2 November 1993, Page 1

Funds forthcoming for disabled ski team

Ohakune' s gold-medal winning disabled skier Patrick Cooper has every reason to smile - he's $1000 closer to competing at Norway's World Paralympics next year, thanks to a grant from the Waimarino Community Sports Education and Development Trust. Patrick was presented with the cheque (the real one, not the one pictured) by trust co-ordinator Glyn Hubbard last week. Mr Hubbard said the money was raised through the sale of tickets in the Waimarino Community Sports Education and Development Trust's lottery. 50% of the funds go straight back into the community; the remainder is divided between an investment account and prize money payed out to weekly winners. Mr Hubbard said it was a unanimous decision by the trust committee to support Patrick and the other members of the New Zealand Disabled Ski Team. Of the eight member team, at least five are considered top medal prospects at

Lillehammer's Paralympics. Patrick leaves New Zealand on 22 November bound for Canada where

he and fellow team member Ed Bickerstaff will train for the duration until •the Paralympics in March. The rest of the

team fly to Winter Park, Colorado for their buildup. Up until he leaves Patrick said he will be

"trying to take a break; from skiing", after an exhausting seven years - 14 winters - on the competition trail.