Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada officially launched its most recent initiative, SkiAbility, in June of this year in Knowlton, Quebec. The program focuses on increasing participation in water skiing for persons with a disability, and is the next step in providing more Canadians with the opportunity to enjoy towed water sports.

The project is a comprehensive clinic outreach program, whereby trained SkiAbility clinic facilitators will deliver clinics and lessons to skiers of different ages with different types of disabilities. The intent is to have multiple clinics delivered in different locations in every province across Canada. The goal is to serve 480 skiers in the summer of 2005 and 960 skiers in the summer of 2006.

Between June 3rd and 5th, 25 participants underwent a weekend of instruction to become SkiAbility program facilitators. World renowned experts, Bill and Denise Bowness of Unlimited Skiing in Brandon, Mississippi extended their experience on how to successfully deliver the sport to persons with a disability. The training provided facilitators with the tools to develop, plan and implement their own clinic in partnership with their presiding provincial water ski association.

“This program is going to have a fantastic impact at the grassroots level,” said Chris Bourne of Ottawa, a member of the Canadian national disabled team who also works with Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability. “There are a few programs across Canada that specialize in water skiing for people with a disability but nothing this comprehensive and coordinated. We’ll be providing provinces across Canada with training of instructors, equipment and knowledge to go out there and introduce the sport of water skiing to people with a disability.”

There is an estimated 3.4 million Canadians with a disability. Currently, this population is under-represented in the sport of water skiing, largely for reasons of limited access, minimal programming and lack of awareness and knowledge on the part of both activity providers and persons with a disability.

WSWC’s initial role will be to provide planning, development, administrative and financial support for the program. Provincial water ski associations will also play a key role in the planning and administration of clinics, being responsible for working with its member clubs to ensure effective program delivery. Clinics will be delivered through qualified ski clubs and programs.

To help out with in this initiative, WSWC in partnership with provincial organizations, has bought 11 new sit skis to be used at the clinics across Canada.

The program was also proud to have adapted water skier and graphic designer Andrea Andrecyk of Kingston, Ontario, create the SkiAbility logo. The emblem represents many of the features that the program seeks to express, such as the representation the athlete as adapted, the wake and tow rope which identifies our sport, and of course a maple leaf as a symbol of Canada.

The program has been made possible with the financial assistance of Sport Canada’s Sport Participation Development Program.

WSWC’s KanSki program (adapted water ski rental), previous clinics, inauguration of a National Disabled Water Ski Championship in 2004 and participation by its National Disabled Team in the 2003 World Disabled Water Ski Championships has shown that Canada and the water skiing community is ready to move forward in allowing equal opportunity for the enjoyment of the sport.