Pippa Middleton joined a star-studded guest list of Paralympic champions last night in London for the launch of the first ParaSnowBall.
Organised by Disability SnowSport UK and sponsored by Delancey, the keen amateur skier was joined by a host of medallists and snowsport enthusiasts to celebrate Great Britain’s Disabled Snowsports team and to help raise money for the charity.
Guests at the event, which was hosted by BBC broadcaster John Inverdale, enjoyed an ice cold evening of dazzling winter sport, as well as the company of some of Britain’s best and brightest snowsports stars.
Pippa Middleton said, “I am honoured to be supporting Disability SnowSport UK and as a keen skier myself, I feel very passionately about enabling those with a disability to experience the joy of skiing alongside non-disabled people. The ParaSnowBall sponsored by Delancey was an inspirational celebration of Paralympians as well as raising funds to enable snowsports to be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of their disability.”
Disability Snowsport UK is a charity dedicated to the idea that anyone, regardless of their disability, should be able to enjoy the thrill of snowsports. The ParaSnowBall fundraiser with Pippa Middleton has helped to boost snowsport’s profile and get more young people involved in the sport – and onto international podiums – than ever before.
“We are proud to have the support of Pippa Middleton for our inaugural ParaSnowBall to help raise crucial funds for disability snowsports” said Lisa Hall, Chair of Disability Sport UK.
The event kick-starts an important week for GB’s snowsports athletes, with the arrival of the Delancey British National Alpine Ski Championships and The BRITS in Tignes this weekend
As well as featuring some of GB’s most talented ski and snowboard athletes, thousands of students will also descend on resort for the British Universities Snowsports Championships.; culminating in one of the biggest British events on the snowsport calendar.
Millie Knight won Britain’s first medal at the 2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Panorama, Canada. The 16 year old visually impaired skier and her guide, Jen Kehoe, have both been helped by Disability Snowsport UK. She said “I would like to say a big thank you to DSUK and my wonderful coaches for my amazing year, culminating in this spectacular event, this is the icing on the cake. I feel so honoured to be here tonight (especially as I have lots of French homework to do).
“I have much to be thankful for, not least the huge support from DSUK. They bravely took me to Sochi, they have held my hand through the last four seasons of ski racing, from IPCAS level races to the World Champs last week. Their support has been second to none. I am loving my life at the moment and will continue to work as hard as I can for DSUK and my coaches.”
The ParaSnowBall was sponsored by Delancey. Represented by Sir John Ritblat, who is also President of British Ski and Snowboard, said: “As Principal Sponsor of British Ski & Snowboard and partner to Snow-Camp, we at Delancey are proud to extend support to our athletes at Disability SnowSport UK. Just as we endeavour to provide new homes, destinations and jobs for London, we are also committed to providing a stronger platform of support for all our athletes.
We are delighted to see Pippa Middleton and Heather Mills here tonight, alongside a host of other familiar faces. I hope that we can continue to work together to provide the funding that is so desperately required to help more people experience the joy of snowsports than ever before. I also hope it will reach those talented Paralympic and Olympic athletes who are already making the nation so proud, such as Millie, Jen and Ben, to progress their passionate pursuit for international medals.”
Written by DSUK