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Learning how to learn

The Luetchfords

Jan 6, 2020
9 min

Learning how to learn

As an accidental athlete who discovered sport in my thirties, I’ve had to fast track the learning process to maximise the progress I can make in the time I have available. Here I share my strategies and techniques to help you do the same. After my husband and I married each other in our late twenties, my husband was diagnosed as being severely sight impaired and therefore disabled. We’ve since started ski racing together (me as his ski guide), and together we have ski raced f

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What happens when the International Paralympic Committee takes away your race licence

The Luetchfords

Jan 6, 2020
8 min

What happens when the International Paralympic Committee takes away your race licence

I wish I didn’t know about this. I truly don’t. But unfortunately, last November, the seemingly impossible happened. The International Paralympic Committee stripped my severely sight impaired husband (the new term for technically ‘blind’ in the UK) of his para alpine ski racing licence, stating that he could suddenly ‘see’ too well. I’m not going to go into the reasons here as to why this is wrong; why the test was not indicative of his sight; why this is outrageously incorre

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The Luetchfords

Feb 26, 2019
7 min

A visually impaired ski racers’ kit list

James and Alice Luetchford ski race for Great Britain. James is severely sight impaired, and Alice is his ski guide (and wife). Together they train and race in Europe and are working towards the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games. As newer ski racers, we understand how daunting the ski racing world can be. There are so many options for racing equipment and everyone has an opinion about what to use. The following is a list of the kit we currently use because, well, we just t

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The Luetchfords

Feb 25, 2019
11 min

What do you say to a visually impaired ski racer?

Visually impaired ski racers are classified by the International Paralympic Committee according to their level of sight impairment. The following is how Alice Luetchford guides James Luetchford, a B2 visually impaired ski racer (the middle level of disability) in their Slalom and Giant Slalom Para Alpine ski races for Great Britain. James and I started ski racing together in November 2016. I ski in front of James, leading him down the race course both verbally and with him fo

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The Luetchfords

Feb 3, 2019
10 min

Sculpting my life: combining ski racing with my data analysis career

I’m often asked how I’ve managed to do it all. Pursuing my dream (ski racing with my sight impaired husband for Great Britain) while also holding down a data analysis day job was extremely difficult until very recently. I was working full time, yet also expected to spend 100 days on snow training with the British Parasnowsport team. It just wasn’t possible. However, after making some — quite radical — changes, I’ve managed to sculpt my life into a version which is the best of

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The Luetchfords

Feb 3, 2019
7 min

Guiding a visually impaired ski racer: daily life in the mountains

As a guide for a visually impaired ski racer, I have to train just as hard as my athlete. In my case, my athlete is also my husband (James). Together, we represent Great Britain in the World Para Alpine Ski races (Slalom and Giant Slalom) and Europa Cup for Slalom. Guides ski in front of their visually impaired athletes, verbally guiding them down the race course. Guides have to be able to ski as fast or faster than their athletes to win, which is more challenging when your a

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