Giant Slalom, LW2, Men

The LW2 event (LW stands for Locomotor Winter) is for competitors with a severe disability in one leg, which may be a result of an amputation, or arthrodesis in the leg and hip. Its competitors typically use only a single ski, and are supported by two “outriggers”, a ski pole with a small ski on the end.

The giant slalom event was clearly won by Alexander Spitz. The West German was diagnosed with bone cancer at age 10, and had his right leg amputated above the knee. This did not stop him from continuing with his favorite sport, skiing. He competed in Sarajevo at age 16, and would go on to compete in five Paralympic Winter Games, winning a total of four golds, four silvers and three bronze. In the 1984 Paralympic Giant Slalom, he placed second behind Rainer Bergmann, whom he’d beaten in the Sarajevo Exhibition.