Vail, Colorado, United States — Yesterday, Wikinews sat down with Australian blind Paralympic skier Melissa Perrine who was participating in a national team training camp in Vail, Colorado.
((Wikinews))  This is Melissa Perrine. And are you like Jess Gallagher and just here training and not competing?
((WN))  And you competed in 2010 in Vancouver?
((WN))  And who was your guide?
((WN))  Why a male guide? He's got to have different skis, and he can't turn exactly the same way. 
((WN))  And you guys have a good relationship?
((WN))  Like a husband and wife relationship without the sex?
((WN))   So have you ever lost communications on the course in an embarrassing moment?
((WN))   You're a B3 then?
((WN))   So you can see even less than Jessica Gallagher. 
((WN))   How do you ski down a course when you can't even see it?
((WN))   You just said you had no communications!
((WN))   So if he's close enough you can overcome that issue?
((WN))   Why are you doing skiing?
((WN))   You enjoy going fast?
((WN))   Even though you can't see how fast you're going.
((WN))   I've asked the standing skiers, who's the craziest Paralympic skiers? Is it the ones who are on the sit skis, the blind ones or the ones missing limbs?
((WN))   B1 with the black goggles. Is your eye sight degenerative? 
((WN))  Not going to become a B1 any time soon?
((WN))  And you're trying for Sochi?
((WN))  And you think your chances are really good?
((WN))  Win a medal this time?
((WN))  Do you like the media attention you've gotten? Do you wish there was more for yourself and winter sports, or of women athletes in general?
((WN))  Most skiers are men?
((WN))  The classification system for everyone else is functional ability, and you guys are a medical classification. Do you think you get a fair shake in terms of classification? Are you happy with the classification? 
((WN))  You like the point system? You're okay with it? Competing against B1s and B3s even though you're a B2?
((WN))  What was it that got you skiing in the first place?
((WN))  So you liked Vancouver?
((WN))  So you are more optimistic about Sochi then?
((WN))  One of the things about skiing is that it's really expensive to do. How do you afford to ski given how expensive it is? And the fact that you need a guide who's got his own expenses.
((WN))  What do you do outside of skiing, because you look kind of young? And you being not like, 30 or 40?
((WN))  Which university?
((WN))  Which degree? That you're currently pursuing.
((WN))  Because of your experience with sport?
((WN))  You view yourself a full-time student as opposed to a full-time professional skier.
((WN))  What's the route for qualification to Sochi for you. 
((WN))  So there's a chance they could say no?
((WN))  Or if you're like those Australian swimmers who had the guns...
((WN))  It just seemed to us that Sochi was so far away on out hand, and yet seemed to be in everybody's mind. It's on their program.  Sixteen months away?
((WN))  What is your favourite event of all the skiing ones? You like the downhill because it's fast? Or you like Giant Slalom because it's technically challenging? Or...
((WN))  Do you do any other adrenalin junkie type stuff? Do you go bungee jumping? Jumping out of airplanes? Snowboarding?
((WN))  Have you thought of qualifying for the Summer [Para]lympics in judo?
((WN))  They sent one.
((WN))  Does judo help with your skiing? 
((WN))  I want to let you get back to changing. Thank you very much. 

Have an opinion on this story? Share it!

Share this: 






This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.
Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.
Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.
Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.
Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.
Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.
Wikinews interviews Australian blind Paralympic skier Melissa Perrine