Andy Bor was an assistant coach on the Australian team at the 2006 Paralympic Games in Torino, and thought he would again fill the same role for Australia at the 2010 Paralympics in Vancouver. That was until he met Melissa Perrine.

A highly talented vision-impaired skier who has enjoyed a rapid rise in the sport, Melissa was in need of an equally skilled sighted pilot to assist in achieving her goal of competing at the 2010 Paralympic Games, a role Andy readily accepted.

Although he still acts as a mentor to Australia’s Paralympic Winter Team, his major focus has shifted to strengthening his partnership with Melissa, a combination he hopes can win Australia a Winter Paralympic medal.

He has competed with Melissa regularly since Vancouver, most recently winning a bronze medal in the slalom at the 2012 World Cup in Italy.

As sighted guide for a vision-impaired athlete, it is Andy’s job to ski just a few metres in front of Melissa and issue voice instructions and directions while completing the course as fast as possible. It is a sport certainly not for the faint hearted.