arroya
mono-ski
arroya
mono-ski
the need
Without adaptive ski equipment many people with mobility limitations would not be able to enjoy participating in winter recreational activities. Wheelchair riders would not have the option to join their friends and family on the alpine ski slopes.
adaptive ski
the adaptive mono-ski design
the adaptive mono-ski design
the solution
Peter Axelson designed and built the first chairlift-compatible mono-ski with shock absorbers. The Arroya mono-ski utilizes a four-bar linkage similar to the suspension on many motorcycles. A Fox motocross shock absorber with adjustable dampening controls connects the ski to the seating system and absorbs bumps at high speeds. The seating system consists of a custom molded orthosis with fiberglass rods that help the rider sit up after leaning forward. The seating system was designed with the help of Allen Siekman and others at Children’s Hospital at the Stanford Rehabilitation Engineering Center.
a winning design
Peter Axelson has ridden his creation to a number of world class skiing competition victories, including the 1986 downhill gold medal at the World Championships for the Disabled in Salen, Sweden, and third place in the 1988 World Championships giant slalom at Innsbruck, Austria. At the 1990 World Championships in Winter Park, Colorado, Peter Axelson used his mono-ski to medal in all five events, winning two gold and three silver medals.
current status
The Arroya mono-ski is not being manufactured by Beneficial Designs. The patented design was released into the public domain to encourage adaptive ski manufacturers to incorporate the unique design features into their own mono-skis. This has made the innovative technology widely available to adaptive skiers.
Those interested in purchasing a mono-ski should consider reading articles on adaptive sports equipment in magazines such as
acknowledgements
This project was sponsored by Allen Siekman, Children’s Hospital at Stanford, Volkl USA, the U.S. Disabled Ski Team, Fox Factory Inc., and Beneficial Designs, Inc.