Guide skier facts for kids
A guide skier is a special helper for skiers who cannot see. They guide the visually impaired skier by telling them where to go on the ski course. Guide skiers use a radio or their voice to communicate directions. They are able to see, which allows them to lead safely and effectively.
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What is a Guide Skier?
Guide skiers are important partners in many winter sports. They help athletes who are blind or have very limited vision compete in events like alpine skiing and biathlon. Their job is to describe the terrain, obstacles, and turns ahead, making sure the athlete knows exactly what to do. This teamwork allows visually impaired skiers to race at high speeds and compete for medals.
Alpine Skiing Guides
In alpine skiing, which includes fast-paced races like downhill and slalom, guide skiers are crucial.
Rules for Guides
Skiers might use different guides during practice, but for a race, the guide must stay with the same skier for the entire competition to be eligible for a medal. Just like the athletes they guide, guide skiers need to have an official license from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to compete in races. This license ensures they meet all the necessary standards.
Fair Play and Doping
Guide skiers also must follow strict anti-doping rules. Doping means using certain substances to unfairly improve performance. These rules are in place to make sure all competitions are fair and safe for everyone involved.
Biathlon Guides
The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. In the skiing part of the biathlon, visually impaired athletes follow their guide skier. The guide helps them navigate the cross-country course, which can have many ups, downs, and turns. While the guide helps with the skiing, the shooting part is done by the athlete using special acoustic targets that make sounds to help them aim.
Images for kids
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Pilot Pascal Schoots (left) and Jan Mulder (right) won silver medals in cycling at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens.
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Timothée Adolphe and his sighted guide Cédric Felip working together.
See also
In Spanish: Guía vidente para niños
