Overview

Charlotte Evans is a British sighted guide in alpine skiing who works with visually impaired competitors to navigate race courses. In this role she skis ahead of or alongside the visually impaired athlete and provides verbal direction and timing to enable high-speed racing on downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom courses. She has partnered with visually impaired ski racer Kelly Gallagher at major international events.

Role and technique

Sighted guides act as a team with their visually impaired partners. They use a combination of spoken commands, radios or headsets, and rehearsed course plans to communicate line, rhythm and upcoming features. Precision, clear timing, consistent vocabulary and mutual trust are essential: the guide must accurately describe terrain and tendencies while matching the athlete's speed and style. Guides are eligible for the same medals as the athletes they guide at Paralympic and IPC events.

Competitive history

Evans and Gallagher competed together at the 2011 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships, where they placed among the top finishers in slalom events. At that championship the pair were the second team across the line in the women's visually impaired slalom and were also recorded as third in another women's slalom result. The partnership continued to appear for Great Britain in subsequent international competitions and Paralympic circuits.

Context and significance

Visually impaired alpine skiing is organized into classification categories and includes several distinct race disciplines:

  • Downhill — the highest-speed, longest courses
  • Super-G — a speed event with more turns than downhill
  • Giant slalom — technical event with wider turns
  • Slalom — the most technical event with quick, short turns

Guides like Evans perform a crucial safety and performance role: their skills allow visually impaired athletes to compete at elite levels and to win medals that recognize the guide-and-athlete team. For more information about British para-alpine skiing and individual athletes, see national and event sources such as the team pages and championship records (national profile, IPC championship overview).