Growing Paralympic movement: Canada aiming to top 16 medals won in Sochi
PYEONGCHANG, Korea, Republic Of — Todd Nicholson built his first hockey sled in his garage. Growing up on a farm he was adept at welding, and fashioned the sled out of steel with metal runners on the bottom, and a seatbelt to hold him on. He figured it weighed about 45 pounds.
That was almost three decades ago.
“Fast forward to today, our sleds are about seven-and-a-half, eight pounds, made out of either titanium or high-grade aluminum, the buckets are custom-made, so they’re basically custom fit, so that as you move, it moves with you,” Nicholson said.
The five-time Paralympian in para ice hockey — formerly known as sledge hockey — is the chef de mission for Canada’s team at the Winter Paralympics, which open Friday at Pyeongchang Stadium.