Michael Foti

Impairment information

Type of Impairment

Spinal Cord Injuries

Origin of Impairment

Acquired

Classification

LW12-1

Further personal information

Family

Partner Laurie Squirrell

Residence

Jindabyne, NSW, AUS

Occupation

Athlete

Languages

English

Sport specific information

When and where did you begin this sport?

He began Para alpine skiing in Jindabyne, NSW, Australia.

Why this sport?

He wanted to return to the snow as quickly as possible after his accident. He moved to Jindabyne, NSW, Australia, within weeks of his accident and began sit skiing with Disabled Wintersport Australia [DWA].

General interest

Milestones

In 2016 he became the first person to sit-ski down Mount Etheridge in New South Wales, Australia. (tetongravity.com, 22 Nov 2016)

Famous relatives

His partner Laurie has competed in Para alpine skiing at elite level. (nscd.org, 05 Jan 2018)

Ambitions

To compete at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing. (Facebook page, 01 Jul 2017)

Impairment

He has paraplegia as the result of a snowboarding accident in April 2014. "While snowboarding in Canada I went off an unmarked cut out and fell 25ft onto a cat track, breaking my back and leaving me paralysed from the waist down." (mycause.com.au, 2015; tetongravity.com, 22 Nov 2016; Facebook page, 01 Jul 2017)

Other information

COACHING
He is a qualified snowboarding coach having studied through Nonstop Ski and Snowboard Coaching. (Facebook profile, 01 Sep 2016)