Erin Latimer was born on July 3, 1996, in Toronto Ont. Erin was born with a congenital amputation of her right arm, just below the elbow, but her physical disability has never held her back. Erin followed in her family’s footsteps when she began skiing at Craigleith Ski Club in Collingwood Ont. when she was just two years old. Besides skiing, Erin participated in many activities throughout her youth including rep soccer, cross country, track and field, dance, and basketball; however skiing every weekend from December to March yearly always limited her commitment to these activities.
Erin started ski lessons at Craigleith Ski Club when she was three, and began race programs at the age of six, where she was always in the top group among her age. Erin was competitive throughout her able bodied career, but never thought she would have an opportunity to pursue ski racing at the national level. All this changed in the winter of 2012 when Gwen Binsfeld, Program Director of the Alpine Ontario Para Race Team (AOPRT), heard about Erin’s involvement in Craigleith Ski Club’s race program, and invited her to the Ontario Winter Games in Huntsville. Erin had never been aware of Para sports, since she had always competed in able bodied programs, and was initially hesitant at the thought of the experience. Erin ended up winning a gold and silver medal in slalom (she fell) and giant slalom disciplines at the Winter Games in February 2012, and from there her career in Para Alpine skiing took off. Gwen Binsfeld recognized Erin’s potential at success at a higher level, and Erin was subsequently invited to a prospect camp with the Canadian Para Alpine Ski Team (CPAST) in May 2012. Coaches of CPAST also saw Erin’s potential, and she was named a prospect to the team for the 2012/2013 season. Erin participated in International Paralympic Committee and NorAm races in Panorama BC, Copper Mountain Colorado, and Kimberly BC early on in the ski season, and even made it to the podium in a few races. Erin returned to Craigleith Ski Club that season with her sights set on National Championships in March 2013 in Sun Peaks BC. Erin trained hard for the remainder of the season with her able bodied team at Craigleith, and coach Dan Hadley. Erin exceeded everyone’s expectations at Nationals come March, when she won gold in three out of the four races. Impressed by her improvement, CPAST invite Erin to train with their World Cup team for the 2013/2014 season. Erin competed in the Sochi Paralympics where she competed in four disciplines and had three top ten finishes. Erin was officially named to the Canadian Para Alpine Ski Team for the 2014/2015 season.
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Erin started ski lessons at Craigleith Ski Club when she was three, and began race programs at the age of six, where she was always in the top group among her age. Erin was competitive throughout her able bodied career, but never thought she would have an opportunity to pursue ski racing at the national level. All this changed in the winter of 2012 when Gwen Binsfeld, Program Director of the Alpine Ontario Para Race Team (AOPRT), heard about Erin’s involvement in Craigleith Ski Club’s race program, and invited her to the Ontario Winter Games in Huntsville. Erin had never been aware of Para sports, since she had always competed in able bodied programs, and was initially hesitant at the thought of the experience. Erin ended up winning a gold and silver medal in slalom (she fell) and giant slalom disciplines at the Winter Games in February 2012, and from there her career in Para Alpine skiing took off. Gwen Binsfeld recognized Erin’s potential at success at a higher level, and Erin was subsequently invited to a prospect camp with the Canadian Para Alpine Ski Team (CPAST) in May 2012. Coaches of CPAST also saw Erin’s potential, and she was named a prospect to the team for the 2012/2013 season. Erin participated in International Paralympic Committee and NorAm races in Panorama BC, Copper Mountain Colorado, and Kimberly BC early on in the ski season, and even made it to the podium in a few races. Erin returned to Craigleith Ski Club that season with her sights set on National Championships in March 2013 in Sun Peaks BC. Erin trained hard for the remainder of the season with her able bodied team at Craigleith, and coach Dan Hadley. Erin exceeded everyone’s expectations at Nationals come March, when she won gold in three out of the four races. Impressed by her improvement, CPAST invite Erin to train with their World Cup team for the 2013/2014 season. Erin competed in the Sochi Paralympics where she competed in four disciplines and had three top ten finishes. Erin was officially named to the Canadian Para Alpine Ski Team for the 2014/2015 season.
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