Skating toward the Paralympics
by Patricia Lonergan 

 

Kevin Frost, a partially blind and deaf speedskater
trains on the long track at Brewer Park in Ottawa.

 

Not only will Kevin Frost be heading to Kamloops this month to compete in the North American Short Track Championship, he's also hoping to gain support for speed skating and make it a demonstration sport in the 2010 Paralympics.

While in British Columbia, Frost will try to hook up with the mayor of Vancouver, who is a huge supporter of the Paralympics and is in a wheelchair. "I think if I can win just a little bit of his heart, because he's a mayor, maybe he could push the [International Paralympic Committee] to open the demonstration sport for speed skating on Canada's behalf," said Frost, who is legally deaf and blind. The Orlean's athlete wants to get his sport sanctioned for 2010, but to do that he said he needs to get eight countries involved. Frost has done a lot of homework. He said he had a meeting with the chief operator of the Paralympics and learned all the ins and outs of how to make his dream a reality. He said he needs to get the countries to push the International Paralympic Committee to have speed skating as a demonstration sport in time for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Striving to motivate disabled people to get active is one of the reasons Frost currently competes with "able-bodied" skaters. Another reason Frost likes competing in various events is that it educates people about what he is trying to do, which is getting his sport recognized at a higher level. Two weekends ago, Frost competed at the Canada Cup for the first time. The event was held in St. Foy, Quebec, and offered Frost a great learning experience. Only involved with the sport for about two years now, the event gave him a chance to learn how the point system and structure of the competition worked. It was also a tougher meet. "It was a tough course and it was very windy out there," Frost said, explaining his times were a bit slower because of the wind. Frost's biggest challenge on the short track is knowing where his opponents are located. He can't see them until they are in front of him and he can't hear them coming up behind him. "In short track the whole idea is to try and stay in front of the pack," Frost said. Long track, with just two skaters and one cross over point, is a safer environment for Frost. But long tracks are hard to come by and only Calgary boasts an indoor facility, Frost indicated. To keep in shape, he races short track on hockey rinks. When ice conditions are in his favour, Frost uses Brewer Park for long track. Because of the facilities available in Ottawa, the athlete competes in both sports. Frost expects competition in Kamloops will be tough, but he's going with an open mind. "I'll just go out and do the best I can," Frost said. "If I finish first, great. If I finish last, well, I did the best I can, and hopefully people can just see what I am trying to accomplish." The North American Short Track Championship takes place from March 24 - 26.