WHAT’S NEWS…?

From Proof of Concept in 2019 to ParaNordic World Cup in 2024 and, for two of the team, the Paralympics in 2026.

In 2017, it was obvious to us that Biathlon would be an excellent recovery vehicle for injured service personnel and veterans. In 2019, Mark Daniels became the ADF’s first-ever parabiathlete and Australia’s first-ever lower limb amputee to compete in the sport. We then attracted Matt Brumby – Australia’s first-ever sitskier – from Ironman Paratriathlon, and Taryn Dickens – Australia’s first-ever VI parabiathlete – from Track Cycling, into the parabiathlon fold. Curtis and Heather Wiederkher guided Taryn in her early competitions before Taryn sent Dave Miln our way; with Matt loaning his spare sitski and providing early coaching to Dave. With no elite pathway existing in Australia until last year, VESPA had to step into the gap, greatly assisted by Disabled Wintersport Australia, to support the star athletes from 2021-2024. Many thanks to Biathlon Australia and Snow Australia for taking them on to the World Paranordic events and to Paralympics Australia for supporting their attempts at Paralympian status.

Aug 23

Despite the poor snow conditions, the British Parabiathlon unit visited Australia for cross-pollination and to run a training camp for our athletes. British Biathlon Olympic team manager and World Cup Biathlete in his own right, Simon Allanson, along with Paralympian biathlete Steve Arnold spent 3 weeks with Matt Brumby and Taryn Dickens at Falls Creek, in order to consolidate the teachings of World ParaNordic guru, Kaspar Wirz last year.

The visit was curtailed in order that the poor snow conditions didn’t affect Steve’s World Cup training, but the effect of the Brits’ visit was huge, particularly for sit-skier Matt Brumby.

1 March 23

We are delighted to have purchased this mountain board, fitted for a sit-ski frame, from Spokes ‘n Motion of Denver Colorado; using funds from Veterans SA’s Seed-funding grant, awarded to VESPA last year. Spokes ‘n Motion manufactured the sit-ski frames for the Chinese Winter Paralympic Team for the Beijing games last year. Just awaiting finalisation of funding for the sitski frame from another organisation and we’ll have our man Matt Brumby on the overseas circuit.

22 September 22

On a sparkling night in Sydney (is there any other kind?), The Primary Club of Australia honoured our Parabiathlete Matt Brumby as overall winner of the Sir Roden Cutler award, presented by ex-Australian Test Cricket Captain and all-round legend Mark Taylor. Matt was “…one of five highly qualified candidates, who all deserve to be recognised for their various contributions to their sport, and who inspire thousands of others to surmount challenges and give life a go! Each finalist will received a Sir Roden Cutler Award Finalist Medal, as well as a $5,000 grant for sporting and recreational facilities for the sports charity of their choosing.” (Primary Club Australia, 2022).​

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Matt-lad!

23 September 22

Thanks to a tip-off from Taryn, Curtis has been liaising with the most wonderful man, a Sports Therapist and Ecuadorian Cross-country skier in Tasmania called Klaus Jungbluth, in their efforts to bring a treadmill to Adelaide for Matt Brumby et al to train on and perfect their positioning and technique. Klaus is leaving Australia and went above and beyond in both actions and flexibility, not only overseeing the delivery of the treadmill to a temporary destination, but also allowing us credit to pay him as we can afford. An absolute gentleman and bon-oueff circullaire, we wish Klaus all the very best for his return home.

Any logisticians or delivery types who have 3x3x1m space on a wagon leaving Hobart for the mainland we might use, please?

12 September 22

As the VESPA crew returned to our Adelaide and Canberra bases, tired but buzzing after a fantastic first snow-season, our attention turns to the off-snow events of The Australian summer.

Or does it? Watch this space for news of what is hopefully developing between VESPA and our supporters & partners…

9 September 22

Our magnificent partners and trailblazers in Australian ParaNordic Skiing DWA held a follow-on Guide camp at Perisher NSW, which was our last on-snow event of The Australian season. Taryn, Matt, Heather and Curtis joined the DWA event, which culminated in Assistance Mushers Willow and Gigi going head-to-head at the Nordic Bowl – with Taryn Dickens and Biathlete & Adaptive Guide Julia Smusz at the controls. Check the unshakable strength of Taryn at 0.28, but it wasn’t enough to stop Willow and Julia from claiming the spoils and making Matt proud.

See our Facebook and Insta pages for more pictures.

27 August 22

Not content with completing the 18km Kosciusko Tour at Perisher after a few hours skiing under her belt, Taryn went one – well, twenty-four better, with the Kangaroo Hoppet 42km XC Ski Race; part of the World Loppet Series, at Falls Creek, VIC. Another beautiful day transformed into a battle against both worsening snow conditions and the slowest classic skis… IN THE WORLD! True to form, her technique and determination never faltered and she completed the race with her “Number 2” Guide Curtis who, after loafing for the first 25kms, took over from the main girl Heather Bundy, allowing her to stretch her legs in an attempt to allow Navy to catch the eventual winners RAAF in the ADF race. Though that wasn’t to be, Taryn gloriously double-poled her way down the final hill (yes, you read that right!) to the finish line, where the photo was captured.

See our Facebook and Insta pages for more pictures.

23 August 22

Our partners at Uni SA’s sports science providers the Invictus Pathways Program (IPP) initial collaboration with University of Canberra led to our VI biathlete and Masters Track Cyclist National Team Champion Taryn Dickens completing her first-ever VO2 Max testing. This has been a goal of hers for some time; immense thanks to Billy Mason at UC, to Jason Roberts and Ashlee Munro at IPP, and to Miranda Van Hooff and Ian Drayton for their work at the executive level at MESHA and UC respectively.

See our Facebook and Insta pages for more pictures.

13 August 22

Heather Bundy (right), our inimitable ParaNordic Guide, Coach and APSI Nordic Ski Instructor, went gathering titles and medals this month, with unmatched performance to take the Navy Women’s Champion and ADF Women’s Champion titles, then topping it off with a bronze in the Biathlon Australia National Women’s Masters.

Well done to Heather and congratulations to the champion, Lynne-Marie Cullen and the deserving Rachael McKay; silver medallist and trusted advisor to both Navy and VESPA biathletes.

Phot: Paul Garai

6 August 22

Once again, VESPA have proven to be pioneers of parabiathlon in Australia, following up Mark Daniels as Aus’s first lower-limb amputee Parabiathlete in 2019 with the country’s first Visually Impaired Parabiathlete, Taryn Dickens, competing at the ADF Biathlon Championships “EXERCISE COOLSHOT 22” at Mt Hotham, VIC. Her classic ‘can-do’ attitude and continually improving technique also saw her skiing in Women’s Senior and Novice races and acquitting herself well in the process.

See our Facebook and Insta pages for more pictures and that video sequence of Taryn’s wonderful assistance dog, Gigi, shredding… ‘it’ on her first downhill!

30 August 22

Taryn Dickens (3rd left), our VI athlete, convinced her Coach that after one rollerski lesson and a two-day Women’s Development Camp at Mt Hotham that she should enter the Kosciusko 18km Ski Tour. In Navy livery and on a bluebird day at Perisher NSW, she duly delivered; completing the tour under direction from her Coach and Guide, Heather Bundy; also seen in Navy colours (2nd left).

Thanks to Bethany (right), the local GP, for skiing with us and keeping Curtis talking (loudly); until Taryn had a ‘quiet’ word!

See our Facebook and Insta pages for more pictures

1 July 22

Thanks to our tremendous partners at Disabled Wintersport Australia, VESPA athlete Matt Brumby and his assistance dog Willow began their journey toward his goal to better his performance as a Paratriathlete. Matt won his class in the last World Para-Ironman championships in Kona, Hawaii in 2019 and just missed out on the Rio Paralympics – having won the half-distance World Championship the same year. On a DWA Tessier sitski at Falls Creek, VIC, Matt also assisted DWA prospective Nordic Guides with the practicalities of the task, and under the guidance of World ParaNordic authority Kaspar Wirz of Canada; an ex-Military Policeman himself, and architect of a number of ParaNordic programs around the world.

See our Facebook and Insta pages for more pictures

17 June 22

We got the news yesterday that those wonderful people at Veterans SA, a Government of South Australia organisation, have selected VESPA as recipients of their Seed Funding Grant. We submitted our bid right on the deadline, perfectly timed before our first athlete got on rollerskis. The boost this is going to give our athletes will be huge!

2 May 2022

Stunning News: Matt Brumby, already a regular in the Green and Gold as an elite-status Australian ParaTriathlete, not to mention twice World Champion ParaIronman, has hung up his Speedos for the brand new challenge of Parabiathlon! In a short period where we thought things couldn’t get more exciting, Matt called us on Lenny Redrose’s recommendation, after confirming the need for a new challenge. Seen here in his Triathlon livery, and based in Adelaide, Matt is looking forward to thrashing himself around the slopes – though Victoria Racetrack may have to do in the very short-term!

Welcome Matt! Absolutely stoked to have you with us.

1 May 2022

First Rollerski training session for a VESPA athlete; Taryn’s distant past on in-line skates proved useful, as she quickly picked up working on both Rollerskis and the more forgiving Skikes in Canberra this weekend. Many thanks to the fabulous Heather Bundy, our APSI Nordic Ski Instructor in the ACT, for making this happen.

23 March 2022

G’day Taryn!

Taryn Dickens, or “Squints” as she is affectionately known, has eagerly joined the VESPA crew. She comes to us as a National Masters Team Track-cycling Champion, with which she will continue; though she is now looking to begin Tandem riding by end of 2022 as well as learning to ski and shoot in the Visually Impaired classification. Based in Canberra, Taryn has begun skiing with a coach & prospective future guide, the wonderful Heather Bundy, in order to get ahead of the VI skiing game.

Welcome, Taryn!

20 April 2022

Thrilled to see our adaptive athlete, “Tazzie” Pete Brown carrying the worlds most handsome national flag in the Opening Ceremony of the Invictus Games 2022 at Den Haag (The Hague), Holland. Go, ‘straya!

[Photo courtesy of Invictus Australia, 2022]

1 May 2022

This week, after witnessing a colossal team effort at the Invictus Games 2022 @ The Hague, Holland, VESPA parted with our first committed adaptive athlete, the incomparable Lenny Redrose (pictured left). We would be hugely sad to say ‘farewell’ but for the fact that he is leaving only to concentrate on Wheelchair Basketball; at which, the lad is an absolute ringer; and he left us with a very capable athlete to take his place – more on that later.

All the very best, Lenny; and probably see you on a podium somewhere soon!

[Photo courtesy of Invictus Australia, 2022]