Alpine Achievement Features the World's Finest Paralympic Athletes and Chronicles the Sport of Disabled Alpine Skiing

Alpine Achievement: A Chronicle of the United States Disabled Ski Team, a new book by Lori Batcheller, features 2002 Paralympians Sarah Will, Chris Waddell, Muffy Davis, Chris Devlin-Young and the rest of the US Disabled Ski Team. The book also chronicles the sport of disabled skiing from its beginnings in post WWII Europe to its current status as both a recreational and elite competitve sport. The book includes an extensive resource list of adaptive ski programs and disabled sports organizations and information on becoming involved as a volunteer, disabled skier, or behind-the scenes fan.

DENVER, COLORADO -- For most people, simply staying upright on a downhill ski slope is achievement enough. Turning and looking up the hill we have just traversed, we swell with confidence and pride, knowing that we have done what so many are unable to do. Now, imagine doing the same thing without the benefit of both of your legs, your arms, or even your sight. Would you still be able to make it the bottom? Better yet, would you be able to win Olympic Gold?

Alpine Achievement: A Chronicle of the United States Disabled Ski Team (now available from 1stBooks Library) is the true story of one of the most remarkable teams of athletes to conquer the slopes. The first book to offer a detailed and powerful account of disabled alpine skiing, Alpine Achievement chronicles the sport from its inception to its modern day competitions.

In her foreword to the book, Olympian Picabo Street says, "These are real people who, when presented with obstacles, overcame them. They are not heroes, but they are some of the finest athletes in the world. In this, they are better than "good." They are supreme. I am honored to share hill space, a national team, and the public eye with them."

Originally begun as a form of rehabilitation for injured war veterans, disabled skiing has become a powerful tool in aiding disabled persons to achieve lifetime goals. Not all people involved in the Paralympics are there as the result of an injury. Some suffer from degenerative diseases such as macular degeneration; some overcome birth defects. No matter what has brought them to the slopes, the U.S. Disabled Ski Team has proven itself in the world of professional athletics. Moving at speeds up to 65 miles an hour alongside many able-bodied skiers, these athletes are among the best the world has to offer.

Alpine Achievement does more than just tell the story of disabled skiing. The book also serves as a comprehensive reference tool, detailing the evolution of adaptive equipment, the history of the sport, scoring, and classification of athletes. Alpine Achievement also contains several appendices, allowing ski enthusiasts, rehab professionals, people with disabilities, and anyone interested in supporting disabled skiing to find ski areas, equipment manufacturers, and resources that will aide their interests.

Alpine Achievement author Lori J. Batcheller grew up skiing with her family in New England. Holding a master's degree in physical therapy, Batcheller moved to Colorado where she served as a volunteer ski instructor for the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Program. Returning to school, she then earned her master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Colorado in Boulder. She is a writer for newspapers, magazines, and trade journals and teaches journal writing workshops.

Alpine Achievement is now available through 1st Books Library, 1-888-280-7715 or the Alpine Achievement website, www.LBCreative.com/aa, which includes video clips and links to disabled-skiing-related sites. It will be available through bookstores in April. Quantity discounts are available.

ISBN #0-7596-8454-5

Hardcover retail price: $24.95

Softcover retail price: $14.50