SAMANTHA APPLETON

Maine Adaptive Skiing

Each year, the Maine Adaptive Skiing program at Sunday River Ski Resort in Maine hosts thousands of disabled kids and adults. The non-profit has been in operation for more than 30 years and teaches and equips clients of any disability for free. Typical clients include those with blindness, paralysis, amputations and spina bifida -- conditions that would otherwise keep them from enjoying the sport. 

  • Nikolai Tomesewski, 6, waits nervously for his volunteer instructor on a cold February day outside the Maine Handicapped Skiing building at Sunday River ski area. This day was his first day trying to ski without a slider or sit-ski -- a very exhuasting a difficult step up. Nik was recently adopted from Russia and has a stunted arm and severly stunted leg.
  • Nikolai is fitted with a {quote}slider{quote} to help him learn how to ski. It is his first year skiiing.
  • A blind skier heads out into the bright sun on a March afternoon. Blind and deaf skiers are required to wear identifying bibs and ski with a guide.
  • Nikolai, second from the right, takes one of his first runs without a {quote}slider{quote} -- a type of {quote}training wheels{quote} for handicapped skiers.
  • Nikolai looks up proudly at his volunteer as he completes one of his first runs.
  • A woman's prosthesis was left in a restroom at the Maine handicapped Skiing while its owner hit the slopes. Most disabled skiers try several different rigs -- 3 track, 4 track sit-ski -- before settling with the one they find most comfortable.
  • Alex smiles at the blizzard as he heads out to go skiing. Alex, who suffers from Spinal Bifida, goes to Maine Handicapped Skiing in Sunday River about 8 times a year.
  • A racer prepares to burst from the start at a regional race at Mt. Sunapee in New Hampshire. MHS has a race team that travels to several races throughout New England each season.
  • OVERVIEW
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Images © 2018 Samantha Appleton. Site design © 2010-2023 Neon Sky Creative Media