Former motocross star sets sights on winter Paralympics
By Team TMX on 25th Jan 17
After being paralysed 12 years ago in a motocross accident, Laurie Squirrell has fought back and shown tremendous courage to get back on her bike, and set new goals.
Laurie now who uses a wheelchair, but recently defied the odds when last summer she climbed back into the saddle of her old motorbike - a specially-adapted Yamaha 125cc - and hit the dirt across muddy fields. This was after surgeons said she would never ride again.
Now 28, Laurie has found a new passion for skiing, and is training hard in a bid to represent Great Britain at next year's Winter Paralympics
"I just love to compete,” she said.
"My bike accident was a shock but I realised that I had to accept what had happened. Since then I have been determined not to let what happened stop me from doing something I love.”
Laurie was a very talented motocross rider, one of the best female motocross rider in the country, but she is now determined to be one of the best Paralympic skiers in the world.
She is training on a mono-ski, that uses a specially-adapted wider single ski that is still controlled with poles. But Laurie has made the transition easily, and the grit that saw her up front on the motocross track is now helping her on the slopes.
"The sit-ski is an extraordinary machine. It's like ordinary skiing but of course you have to adapt your technique because you are effectively sitting down,” she said.
"But the challenge is exactly the same. You push off and head down hill negotiating flags on the course just like ordinary downhill skiers.”
The next Winter Paralympics are being held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018. Laurie admits to reach the Paralympics is a huge goal, but she said she is "determined to get to the games eventually”.
She landed in Colorado, widely perceived as the best ski-centre for mono-skiers in the world, on January 3 and is set to return to Suffolk. Her trip has been self-funded.
