DiBello Ready to Win

It would be hard to improve upon the winning years Paul DiBello of Conway had in 1982 and 1983, but he's already letting it be known he's setting his goals higher this winter. In fact, the 33-year-old bilateral amputee is reaching for the stars -- he wants to win it all.

The winner of an unprecedented four gold medals in the Giant Slalom, Downhill, and Special Slalom to emerge as the combined champion of the 1982 World Disabled Championships held in Switzerland in March 1982, Paul returned to North America that winter to win an additional four golds at the 1982 Handicap National Ski Championships

in Winter Park, Colorado. En route, he garnered the support of Mt. Washington Valley residents, as Paul evolved into something of a local hero.

Although not as spectacular, Paul continued his winning ways last winter.

Equipment difficulties and poor weather hampered his efforts at the 1983 U.S. Handicap

Nationals, but the owner of the Saco River Garage "redeemed" himself later in the

season when he won four gold medals at the Canadian Championships for the Disabled

in Banff, Alberta. When not racing himself, Paul notched other accomplishments all

throughout the season as the director of the New England Handicapped Sportsmen

Association Ski School at Mt. Sunapee.

To allow himself more time to prepare for an even busier schedule this winter,

Paul has taken a temporary leave of absence from the Sunapee post. In training since

last August when he undertook a heavy workout program at the Mountain Valley Court

Club's Nautilus Room, he and coach Kevin Clarke further honed his racing edge by

heading out west last week to Purgatory, Colorado, to spend time skiing with the U.S.

Handicapped Team. After concentrating on GS and the downhill on the 2,300 vertical foot

area, Paul is happy to report upon his return to Mt. Washington Valley that he feels stronger

and faster than ever.

Considering that he's already the fastest handicapped racer in his double "BK"

(Below Knee) Amputee division in the United States, that should come as bad news to

any of the Europeans Paul will be competing against this winter. Having already taken a

full second off his best time ever, Paul will spend the next few weeks getting in even

better condition.

To get the entire American team into top shape, Paul has organized a training

camp this January 4-8 in Mt. Washington Valley. The U.S. Handicapped Nordic Team

will train at the Jackson Ski Touring Center that week, while the alpine contingents will

head on up to Wildcat. Providing room and board at discount rates for the teams will be

the Eagle Mountain House and the Appalachian Mountain Club. A second Beat a Gimp

Race is planned for King Pine Ski Area on January 8th, with all proceeds benefitting the

team's travelling expenses.

Following the training camp, the team members will fly out of New York on

January 9th for a second training site in West Germany. From there, it's on to the 3rd

World Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria, January 14-20th, the equivalent of the

Olympic Games for handicapped athletes. The American team will be out to defend

their 1982 World Alpine title, and third overall team standing for all world cup events.

From Innsbruck, the top 30 handicapped skiers in the world will travel to Sarajevo,

Yugoslavia, to participate in a ski racing exhibition at the 1984 Winter Olympic Games.

Paul DiBello intends to be one of those 30 skiers. "This is the first time that the

International Olympic Committee has recognized us as being world class athletes," Paul

said enthusiastically. "If I have an ultimate goal this winter, it's to get to Sarajevo and

really do well. Based on my results in Innsbruck," he continued "there's a strong

possibility that I will be selected to participate in the Olympics."

After the Sarajevo games, Paul returns to America to train for the U.S. National

Handicapped Championships set for Jackson Hole, Wyoming, March 19-24th. In

between, he'll conduct a special New England NORAMP race at Wildcat March 3-4 to

determine the New England entry in the U.S. Nationals.

After Jackson Hole, Paul will move on to the culmination of the season — the 1984 Canadian Championships for the Disabled, set for Banff, Alberta, in mid-April. His goal in the events? "I want to really concentrate, and hope to sweep them all," said Paul. "I want the gold."