Gourley to defend ski title
GEELONG triple Paralympian Mitch Gourley will lead Australia’s contingent into next week’s 2019 World Para Alpine Skiing Championships starting Monday.
In a World Para Alpine first, the event will take place across two countries, with Italy’s Sella Nevea to stage the speed events and Kranjska Gora in Slovenia to hold the technical competitions.
Co-captain from the PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games, East Geelong’s Gourley will be out to defend the world title he claimed in Tarvisio, Italy in 2017.
Melissa Perrine will also be a leading contender at the world championships alongside her new guide Bobbi Kelly after claiming two bronze medals at PyeongChang.
Consisting of five skiers and two sighted guides, the Aussie team will be looking to make its mark after an extended training block in Europe leading up to the championships.
“Our Australian team for the World Para Alpine will be the first to compete in seven world championships event that will be held between January and March,” Ski & Snowboard Australia performance pathway and program manager Ben Wordsworth said.
“Australia’s Para Alpine team have consistently delivered strong performance on the World Cup and at the world championships.
“While poor conditions in the northern hemisphere has resulted in many World Cups being cancelled, the team are confident they have training behind them to deliver solid performances at the world championships.”