International disruption caused by the spread of coronavirus has cost Josh Hanlon a return trip to the United States to pursue his sit-skiing ambitions.
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The footballer-turned-skier spent 10 weeks training and competing in the USA over Christmas and, right up until this week, was determined to head back for another stint this weekend.
"I really enjoyed the whole experience, from start to finish. It was full of excitement. It's pretty crazy in the US but it was great fun, I learnt heaps and I was keen to get back there," Hanlon said.
"But the races are all going to be cancelled because the sport is so international it's too dangerous for everyone to try to get to events. Now I'll just get my gear back home and get training here when the season comes around."
The 2022 Winter Paralympics in China remain the long-term goal for Hanlon. The experience of intense training plus competition in California, Colorado and Utah has only whetted his appetite.
Aside from a Christmas break in Park City, getting top-quality coaching and plenty of time on the slopes was critical to improvement.
"I went from not being able to ski too well to skiing with the best of them within a couple of months," he said.
"Every mountain you go to is that little bit different - different snow, different slopes."
By the end of his stint, Hanlon said he was only about eight seconds off the lead in his first races in the quick Super G.
"I was really happy with that, being my first races and I'd only had two or three days on a Super G ski. They're longer and straighter so you go quicker and turn less. it's a different feel, the timing of your body position just slows right down so learning to control that is a big part of it," he said.
In his preferred discipline, the slalom, he was only about 12 seconds off the pace despite an equipment malfunction forcing a borrowed rig.
"I did alright. If I'd had my rig I would've been a good few seconds off in both runs, but it was all good. It's only the first few races," he said.
"I was certainly keen to get back... I'd loved to get back to the slopes I started on and test out what I know now."
Australia, and potentially New Zealand, will likely be the limit this winter and Hanlon will now enjoy a longer stopover at home before applying himself on the sit-ski again.
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