IPC’s Mestre honoured on International Women’s Day

IPC Alpine Skiing’s Sylvana Mestre was presented with the ‘2013 International Women’s Day Recognition.’ 08 Mar 2013

Sylvana Mestre with IPC Development Camp graduates Marie Bochet and Jasper Balcaen

By IPC

The Women in Sport Committee believes she is a positive role model within the Paralympic Movement for all females from athletes to technical officials and committee leaders.

Sylvana Mestre, IPC Alpine Skiing Sport Technical Committee Chairperson, was presented the 2013 International Women’s Day Recognition” on 8 March by the IPC Women in Sport Committee.

The Women in Sport Committee believes she is a positive role model within the Paralympic Movement for all females from athletes to technical officials and committee leaders.

"It always touches me when someone thinks that I deserve that," said Mestre. "Because honestly what I do is what I feel and what I think - it's my job."

"We have so many things ongoing with the World Championships and then the World Cup Finals in Sochi that I really didn't have time to take it in."

She has been dedicated to sport for people with an impairment and to the Paralympic Movement for more than 16 years. She started out as a guide for visually impaired skiers in 1996 and went on to become a coach.

In 2000, she first got involved with the IPC, and two years later she became a member of the IPC Alpine Skiing Sport Technical Committee, for which she has been the Chairperson since 2006.

In 2010, Mestre co-founded the organisation Play and Train, together with Mariona Masdemont. The organisation’s main objective is to provide people with an impairment and their families the opportunities to practice, learn and train in sports and leisure activities, regardless of their ability, gender or age.

For Mestre there is still work to be done, not least to encourage more women into skiing and snowboarding.

"We have seen here in Sochi at the World Cup Finals the low level of women in Alpine Skiing and we need to do more," said Mestre.

"The award just makes me think about how we can better develop all these things for female participation."

Most recently, Mestre helped put on the 2013 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in La Molina, Spain, where 28 countries competed in 30 medal events.