Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team racer Josh Dueck will join other philosophers, scientists, artists and dreamers on stage as a speaker at TEDx YYC this Friday to share his story of life as a paraplegic, sit-skier and full-time adventurer.

Dueck – who last year became the first person to complete a back-flip on a sit-ski – will address an audience at the EPCOR Centre in Calgary, Alta., on June 14 at a TEDx event, which is independently organized based on the popular TED Talks series. TED Talks and their ‘ideas worth spreading’ have gained worldwide notoriety via the Internet, showcasing hundreds of speakers including sports stars, tech specialists, scientists, authors, and big names like Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.

“I’m very aware of the reputation that TED carries, and I’m really excited to speak,” Dueck said. “Just being asked is really flattering, and I’m putting a lot of energy into preparing for it. As a speaker, if you compare speaking at TED Talks to the athletic world, it’s like the Olympics. It’s a pretty big stadium and a great opportunity.”

The Kimberley resident was working as a freestyle skiing coach in 2004 when he overshot a demonstration jump and was paralyzed from the waist down. While still in hospital his doctor told him he would have to “rock the world in a wheelchair” and since then Dueck has done just that.

He was crowned world champion in para-alpine downhill sit-skiing in 2009, and went on to win gold in Mono Skier X at the 2011 X Games, bronze at the 2012 X Games, and silver in slalom at the 2010 Paralympics. In 2012, Dueck completed a backflip on a sit-ski, earning international acclaim and an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

When not carving turns in his sit-ski, Dueck is active with the LiveIt! LoveIt! Foundation, which promotes adaptive adventures and outdoor pursuits. He is also a representative for WorkSafe B.C. and the Raise Your Hand campaign, which advocate for safety in the workplace.

“I’ve really enjoyed digging into my story and looking at it from a different point of view and bringing up some new and exciting things,” Dueck said of preparing for his talk, during which he’ll have 12 minutes to “punch a message.

“I’m going to be building around the theme of community. That has been so influential in my life on so many different levels – from the micro-community of my home life to the larger ski community and beyond that.”

Being a role model through speaking engagements is a responsibility Dueck doesn’t take lightly.

“I’m super fortunate that I’ve been able to take a traumatic situation in my life and do something positive with it and look forward with it,” he said. “I always look at my life fondly and feel very fortunate. I get to live the dream and travel around being a skier, which was always a big goal.

“But I’m definitely very human and prone to making mistakes. I always warn people that if they look to me as a role model, I’m just working my way through life trying to have a better understanding of what my purpose is. If people can understand that and still want to use me as a role model, then I’m super flattered.”

Learn more about Dueck’s speaking engagement at TEDx YYC: http://tedxyyc.com/event-details/

JUST DUECK: Watch a feature #MySkiStory video about Josh Dueck here.

Alpine Canada Alpin is the national governing body for alpine, para-alpine and ski cross racing in Canada. With the support of valued corporate partners along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee, Alpine Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic, world championship and World Cup medallists to stimulate visibility, inspiration and growth in the ski community. Please visit us at www.alpinecanada.org.

Lead image: Josh completes the first complete back-flip on a sit-ski from joshdueck.com

By Kelsey Verboom

Alpine Canada Alpin

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