Bill Bowness

• I am a teacher at heart. I love to turn someone on to this sport which gives me such 'big grins'. After several years on the US Adaptive Ski Team, competing at the Paralympics in Lillehammer and a World Championships in Austria, I went back to instructing. Currently, I am the Technical Director (in charge of the schools in-house instructor/staff training) for the Snowsports School of Disabled Sports Far West at Alpine Meadows and I work for the Professional Ski Instructors of America as a trainer on its National Team (I get sent around the country working with other instructors about how to teach adaptive skiing!).
• Nickname: Bones
• Birthdate: 10/1/1958
• Hometown: Truckee, California in the winter; Brandon, Mississippi in the summer
• Hobbies: Cross country skiing, fishing, water skiing, kayaking, rock crawling in a highly modified jeep
• Motto: I have two!.That which does not kill us makes us stronger. And,'my life is better than your vacation!'
• Home Mountain: Alpine Meadows, Tahoe City, California
• Height: 6'3
• Sponsors: Volkl/Marker, Hestra Gloves, Smith Optics, Hands on Concepts (sit ski), Superlight (outriggers)
• Most important contest results or achievements in your ski career:
  Skied in the Mono Cross at the Winter X Games 11 in Aspen, Colorado. Also, a silver and two bronze medals at the Lillehammer, Norway Paralympics.
• What is your favorite ski in 2011/2012 Collection?
  Mantra 184
• Why do you like this ski?
  I love the versatility of my Mantra. I can teach and clinic with this ski as easily as it goes in the deep, chowder, crud, or the firmer front side groomers!
• What conditions do you use this ski for?
  EVERYTHING!
• What other skis in the 2011/2012 collection do you ride?
  Kendo 184
• Can you tell us a little about each pair of skis, and about what sort of conditions you use them for?
  I bring out the Kendo when things get a bit firmer. I also use a GS Speedwall 183 when I am working a race camp!
• What bindings do you use and where do you mount them?
  The last thing a sit skier wants to have happen is to release from his binding. That is why I use a Marker 30.0
• What DIN do you have your bindings on?
  30

RANDOM FACTS

• Ideal day in the mountains:
  Blue-bird spring day, big fat breakfast with friends at the local "greasy spoon", spring corn in the morning, light lunch on the mountain, follow the north-facing shadows in the afternoon, beer on the deck talking with friends about favorite runs of the day.
• How would you describe your style?
  Technical
• Your biggest breakthrough in your skiing career?
  During my first season as a sit down skier 'diving' into a turn (that uncomfortable feeling of 'falling' into a turn for the first time), feeling my ski come back underneath me!. And, realizing for the first time that's what it is suppose to feel like!
• Favorite place to ride:
  Alpine Meadows of course!
• Best snow trip:
  Heli skiing in Idaho
• What age did you start to ski?
  15 as a stand-up skier and then again at 31 as a mono skier
• Favorite phone App?
  Fishing Calendar? Pandora is pretty cool too
• Goals and plans:
  Keep doing just what I am doing for as long as I can