I am on a quest to compete at 8 consecutive Paralympic Games. I have been competing since the 2002 Winter Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City, UT when I was 17 years old in the sport of Alpine Skiing. I then went on to compete in the 2004 Summer Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece in the sport of Cycling. I have continued to compete in both events at the highest level. Over the years competition has grown and so has the number of events. Each year I have to compete at several selection or qualification events to race internationally at the different World Cup and Regional events.
Each year I have to pay my way to events across the country to be able to continue to remain on the National Team. If I don’t qualify for the National Team I have to pay my own way to the International events so that I can keep my international ranking.
Currently there are three events that I will have to pay my own way to. The first was in Carson, CA at the Velodrome. This qualifier has already occurred and I had to cover airfare, hotel, and transportation. I will have to repeat this process for the upcoming road season twice.
The first event is at the beginning of May in Asheville, NC and the second is at the end of May in Chattanooga, NC. Due to work and family I cannot simply stay in North Carolina for both events.
The first event is a selection event for the 2015 Para Pan-Am Games in Toronto and the first and second World Cup races held in Europe. The combination of the first and second selection events is the how one qualifies for the final World Cup and World Championships, again both are held in Europe.
All of these races build up to the Games in Rio. I have to start and succeed at the local races here in the United States so that I can win at the final race two years from now in Rio. I need your help to get there. If you are interested in helping me please visit my Go Fund Me page by clicking the link below.