text: lw10 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 international paralympic committee ( ipc ) alpine skiing and ipc nordic skiing , while national federations such as alpine canada handle classification for domestic competitions . in para - alpine skiing , the skier uses a mono - ski , which is required to have breaks on both sides of the ski . the para - nordic sit - ski configuration has two skis . skiers in this class use outrigger skis for balance , as leverage to right themselves when they fall , and for turning . a factoring system is used in the sport to allow different classes to compete against each other when there are too few individual competitors in one class in a competition . factoring for the 2011 / 2012 alpine ski season was done based on subclass , with factoring being 0 . 7234 for slalom , 0 . for giant slalom , 0 . 7942 for super - g and 0 . for downhill , and factoring being 0 . for slalom , 0 . for giant slalom , 0 . for super - g and 0 . for downhill . the percentage for the para - nordic 2012 / 2013 ski season was 86 % and for lw10.5 was 91 % . definition lw10 is a para - alpine and para - nordic sit - skiing classification , where lw stands for locomotor winter . lw10 skiers cannot sit up without support , which includes people with cerebral palsy in all their limbs . competitors in this class lack " buttock sensibility " . the international paralympic committee ( ipc ) defined this para - alpine classification as " a . disabilities in the lower limbs , no functional sitting b . cp with disabilities in all four limbs ( functional classification ) . " in 2002 , the australian paralympic committee defined this classification for para - alpine as a sit skiing classification for " athletes with disabilities in the lower limbs and no sitting balance ( i.e. cannot sit upright without support ) . " in para - nordic skiing , the ipc defines this class as for " those with impairments in the lower limb ( s ) and the trunk . " cross country canada defines this para - nordic classification as " impairment in the lower limbs and trunk with minimal trunk muscle activity in flexion and extension and no functional sitting balance . [ the ] athlete is unable to stand . " a skier in this class " will have minimal trunk muscle activity in flexion and extension so that the athlete is unable to maintain a sitting position against gravity while properly strapped to the test table and without arm support " . for international para - alpine skiing competitions , classification is done through ipc alpine skiing . a national federation such as alpine canada handles classification for domestic competitions . for para - nordic skiing events , classification is handled by ipc nordic skiing technical committee on the international level and by the national sports federation such as cross - country canada on a country by country level . a skier must meet a minimum of one of several conditions to be eligible for a sit - skiing classification . these conditions include 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 ( 2 . 8 in ) difference , and combined muscle strength in the lower extremities less than 71 . assessment for this classification includes consideration of the skier 's medical history and disability , a physical examination , and an in - person assessment of the skier training or competing . during the assessment process , six different tests are conducted that look at the skier 's balance on different planes , and test for upper body strength and levels of mobility . the guideline scores for people to be assessed in this classification are 0 — 8 . lw10.5 cross country canada defined this para - nordic classification as " impairment in the lower limbs and trunk with some upper abdominal and trunk muscle activity and no functional sitting balance . [ the ] athlete is unable to stand " . in para - nordic skiing , lw10.5 is for sit skiers with disability affecting their lower extremities and trunk function , and who lack " buttock sensibility s1 - s5 " . equipment in para - alpine skiing , the skier uses a monoski , which is required to have breaks on both sides of the ski . the chair can detach from a ski . helmets are required in lw10 para - alpine competition ; slalom helmets for slalom and crash helmets for the giant slalom . the para - nordic sit - ski configuration has two skis . lw10 para - nordic sit - skiers can use a sit - ski with outrigger skis , which are forearm crutches with a miniature ski on a rocker at the base . they sometimes use a quadriplegic ski , called a " swing - bo " , which was designed to give the skier better steering , and rely less on outriggers . in the biathlon , athletes with amputations can use a rifle support while shooting . technique skiers use outriggers for balance and as leverage when they fall to right themselves . outriggers are also used for turning ; skiers use the outrigger and their upper body by leaning into the direction they want to turn . in para - nordic skiing , outriggers or ski poles are used to propel the skier forward . if skiers fall , they may require assistance in righting themselves , and / or getting back to the fall line . doing this on their own , they need to position their mono - ski facing uphill relative to the fall line . in the biathlon , all paralympic athletes shoot from a prone position . sport a factoring system is used in para - alpine and para - nordic skiing to allow different classes to compete against each other when there are too few individual competitors in one class . a number is given to each class of skiers based on their functional mobility or vision levels ; the results are calculated by multiplying the finish time by the factored number . the resulting number is used to determine the winner in events where the factor system is used . during the 1997 / 1998 ski season , the percentage for this para - nordic classification was 84 % . for the 2003 / 2004 para - nordic skiing season , the percentage for was 87 % . the percentage for the 2008 / 2009 and 2009 / 2010 para - nordic ski seasons was 86 % and for lw10.5 was 91 % . factoring for the 2011 / 2012 alpine ski season was done based on subclass ; factoring was 0 . 7234 for slalom , 0 . for giant slalom , 0 . 7942 for super - g and 0 . for downhill . factoring was 0 . for slalom , 0 . for giant slalom , 0 . for super - g and 0 . for downhill . the percentage for the para - nordic 2012 / 2013 ski season was 86 % and was 91 % for in para - alpine skiing events , lw10 skiers are grouped with sitting classes , who are seeded to start after visually impaired classes , and the classes in the slalom and giant slalom . in downhill , super - g and super combined , this group competes after the visually impaired classes and before standing classes . in cross - country and biathlon events , this classification is grouped with other sitting classes . the ipc advises event organisers to run the men 's sit - ski group first , then the women 's sit - ski group section , the visually impaired , and the standing skiers . for alpine events , a skier is allowed one push , without running , from the starting position at the start of the race . if the competitor skis off the course during a para - nordic race , a race official may assist him or her back onto the course . skiers cannot use their legs to break or steer during the race . skiers in the lw10 class can injure themselves while skiing . between 1994 and 2006 , one skier in the lw10 class was injured on the german national para - alpine skiing team . he had a clavicle fracture in 2001 , which corresponds to the higher rate of " plexus brachialis distorsion and a higher rate of shoulder injuries " in the lw10 class compared to able bodied skiers . events at the 2002 winter paralympics in alpine - skiing , this classification was not grouped with others for the men 's downhill , giant slalom , slalom and super - g events . at the 2002 games , women skiers in the giant slalom , slalom , and super - g were grouped with lw11 and l12 for one medal event , and they were grouped with lw11 for the downhill event . at the 2004 alpine world championships , lw10 , lw11 and lw12 women competed against each other in a competition with factored results during the downhill event . at the 2005 ipc nordic skiing world championships , this class was grouped with other sit - skiing classifications . in cross country , this class was eligible to compete in the men 's 5 km , 10 km and 20 km individual race , and women were eligible to compete in the 2 . 5 km , 5 km and 10 km individual races . in the men and women 's biathlon , this classification was again grouped with sit - ski classes in the 7 . 4 km race with 2 shooting stages 12 . 5 km race , which had four shooting stages . at the 2009 alpine world championships , the class was grouped with other sitting classes , with four male ( only one of whom finished ) and one female lw10 skier competing in their respective downhill events . competitors skiers in this classification include british skier skeels - , united states skier chris waddell , and japan 's .