Welcome to VISTA 2015
The stunning Spanish city of Girona hosted the seventh VISTA conference from 7-10 October 2015. The theme of the conference was "Securing the future for young Para athletes." The VISTA conference acts to advance research in Para sport and within the Paralympic Movement by providing a platform for discussion between experts, scientists and industry professionals.
The six themes in medical and science during VISTA 2015 were:
- Evidence-based classification
- Socio-economic determinants of Paralympic participation & success
- Athlete health & performance
- Integrative approach to the preparation of a Paralympic athlete or the athlete’s career
- Athlete and coach education
- Technology, biomechanics and engineering
The Organisers
The 2015 event was organised by Play & Train whose mission is to offer people with disabilities and their families high quality programmes of sports, training, culture and leisure time.
VISTA 2015 Programme
The VISTA 2015 scientific programme further showcased the conference schedule, topics of presentation, and presenters. The VISTA 2015 programme can be found here.
VISTA 2015 IPC Scientific Award
Jennifer Mactavish was awarded the VISTA 2015 IPC Scientific Award. The Canadian is the former Dean of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies at Ryerson University, Canada and a previous member of the IPC Sports Committee. She was recognised with the award for her role in the re-inclusion of athletes with an intellectual impairment into the Paralympic programme. Mactavish delivered a talk on “How to engage youth in disability sport: Reflections of an accidental academic.” The past recipients of the VISTA Scientific Award can be found on the VISTA conference homepage.
The IPC Scientific Award is provided to those who have contributed through significant scientific publications related to the scientific study of sport for persons with an impairment in any discipline, have received national and/or international recognition for his/her work, and place an emphasis on the practical application of research with direct or indirect benefit to the Paralympic Movement.
VISTA 2015 Presentations
Keynote Speakers
The VISTA 2015 keynote speakers, invited by the IPC Scientific Committee to present throughout the conference consisted of the IPC Scientific Award winner, Jennifer Mactavish; and two other speakers, Margo Mountjoy and David Sanz Rivas. The VISTA 2015 leading experts’ topics were guided by the conference’s theme, "Securing the future for young Para athletes". The keynote speaker biographies can be found here. The 2015 speakers are detailed in the table below:
Invited Symposia
The invited symposia of the conference were requested by the IPC Scientific Committee, to present on a given topic and participate in a Q&A session. Each presentation was chaired and moderated by a member of the IPC Sports Science Committee or a professional expert. The speakers and presentation topics of VISTA 2015 are in the table below:
Oral and Poster Presentations
Oral and poster presentations were delivered in addition to the keynote speakers and invited symposia. Each oral presentation is selected after careful review of a submitted abstract. The IPC Scientific Committee offers abstract submission for the chance to speak at the VISTA conferences. Information on the oral presentations at VISTA 2015 can be found on the VISTA 2015 detailed programme.
Poster presentations offer participants the opportunity to engage with conference attendees by showcasing their research on a physical poster. These presentations occur parallel to keynote speakers, invited symposia, and oral presentations.
