Colton is Headed to the Paralympics!

Feb 21, 2018 @ 17:51

 

The seven snowboarders have been selected to create the Canadian Paralympic Team headed to the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. 27-year-old Colton Liddle (Wawa) joins Michelle Salt (Calgary), Sandrine Hamel (Saint-Sauveur), Alex Massie (Barrie), Andrew Genge (Oshawa), Curt Minard (Vernon) and John Leslie (Arnprior). John Leslie and Michelle Salt were on the inaugural team in 2014. This is Canada’s largest Para snowboard contingent in history!

The team is coming off one of the most successful World Cup seasons in its history, which saw Curt Minard (Vernon, BC) take second in the Overall Para Snowboard-Cross Crystal Globe rankings and Salt take third in the Overall Banked Slalom Crystal Globe rankings. The team also capped off the World Cup finals in style, grabbing third in the overall Nations Cup standings, representing the first time Canada has reached the podium in the Cup.

“I’m incredibly honoured to have witnessed the Canadian team’s progression in Para snowboarding since its Paralympic debut at Sochi 2014,” said Patrick Jarvis, Executive Director of Canada Snowboard. “Canada Snowboard athletes, coaches, and support staff have been working diligently to prepare for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games, and I hope that all Canadians will join me in celebrating this sport, this team, and especially these riders and their incredible achievements on the world stage.”

“A big congratulations to all of the Para snowboarders named to the Canadian Paralympic Team today,” said Todd Nicholson, Chef de Mission for the Canadian Paralympic Team in PyeongChang 2018. “Snowboarding is such an exciting sport that is continuing to grow at the Paralympic Games and it is fantastic to see Canada sending a full team of talented athletes we will be proud to watch compete. Best of luck to all of our snowboarders at the Games, and we’ll be there supporting them the whole way.”

Competition dates for Para Snowboard-Cross and Banked Slalom are March 12 and 16, respectively. Broadcast dates and times will follow shortly.

“Whenever I watch them race, I am amazed by the talent of our Para snowboard athletes,” said The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. “I can’t wait to watch them compete in PyeongChang as they inspire Canada’s next generation of athletes in this growing Paralympic sport. Congratulations to all of the Para snowboarders named to Team Canada today.”

Colton is not new to competition and adventure, in 2008 his team ‘Off in the Woods Simard’s Foot Soldiers’ (Colton, Zach Mathison and Marcus Reid) beat out 58 teams in a 25km race of canoeing, mountain bike and orienteering in the annual High School Adventure Challenge. After graduating from Trent University, he began work at the Ministry of Natural Resources as an initial attack forest firefighter. In his fourth year, Colton was seriously injured in a workplace incident, resulting in his lower right leg being amputated. His family and friends rallied around him giving his support, and then the entire town followed with a huge fundraiser to help him financially. Colton made the decision to move to Squamish, BC full time to pursue his Paralympic dream as well as his hobbies of hiking, biking, and climbing; and now has become a member of the Canadian Paralympic Team.

Good Luck!