Otley & Aireborough
Disabled skier Jane leads by inspiration
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| Jane Sowerby |
An inspirational disabled skier left unable to walk when she shattered her spine in a freak accident has been named British women's champion in her first competitive racing season.
Jane Sowerby, 33, of Guiseley, became paralysed from the waist down when she fell 13ft down a staircase and broke her back.
It is almost five years since she had emergency surgery but doctors told Jane at the time she had no chance of ever walking again.
Since then a one-off trip to Colorado, US, run by an organisation for people with spinal injuries, has uncovered Jane's amazing talent for the sport.
She even quit her job as an executive at music television channel MTV to concentrate on her new passion - and has just finished competing for Team GB in her first season at the Europa Cup.
And, with a tally of six podium finishes, her success in the competition has won her the accolade of the overall female British champion.
Jane said: "I had my first race out in Pitzal in Austria and it was absolutely fantastic. I was extremely nervous but I had put in a lot of training with the team and the coach.
"I knew what to expect but I was not sure how I would cope with the race pressure but I coped relatively well."
She came fifth in the giant slalom competition and fourth in the super giant slalom, despite being up against world-class competitors from leading countries such as Austria and Japan.
And just a few weeks later, she won a bronze medal in the super giant slalom in Kuhtai, Austria, where she took the podium alongside fellow Brit competitor, Jo Willoughby.
She then travelled to Kimberley, Canada, for two months of gruelling training before taking on the best disabled skiers in North America.
There, she clinched another bronze medal in her first race there and won another third-place podium finish the next day, helping the seven-strong British team to an impressive medal haul of 34.
"It was just amazing. I think I was in shock because I didn't expect the success to come quite so quickly, said Jane, a former Guiseley School pupil. "We have all been a bit blown away by the season we have had and I think that just shows the dedication of the team."
For more information visit janesowerby.co.uk or britishdisabledskiteam.co.uk.
4:20am Friday 18th April 2008
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