Spinning out of control and crashing violently into the snow was not how Geelong para-alpine skier Mitch Gourley imagined finishing his last winter season.
The horror high-speed fall left the congenital amputee with a broken wrist.
“I was doing around 90 km/h at the time,” he said.
“I think I was quite lucky to get my left arm out and avoid a big head hit.”
Prior to the accident at the 2019 World Para Alpine Skiing Championships, Gourley claimed a bronze medal in the slalom final and a fourth-place finish in the giant slalom.
Born without a left forearm, Gourley skis with one pole while wearing a prosthetic on his left limb.
Leaving the slopes last January with an injury on the other arm was “frustrating” for the three-time Paralympian and world champion.
“It was the first right-hand injury I’ve ever had,” he said.
“It was a really irritating injury when you only have one wrist to begin with.”
But the injury also opened up a new door for Gourley, giving him the opportunity to take some time out from the sport.
Last year he completed a Masters of Business in sport management and took up full-time work, including a role as Netball Victoria’s diversity and inclusion coordinator.
Gourley is speaking to the Geelong Independent in the midst of experiencing his first summer in more than a decade after deciding to not race this winter season.
“I’ve been doing winter seasons for 15 years straight,” Gourley told the Independent. “This is my first Australian summer since 2005.”
“To take a winter off is scary, but it’s exciting at the same time.”
His summer has so far included growing his “out of control” veggie garden and spending time with family and friends at a holiday house in Wye River.
But despite his time away from skiing, Gourley recently became a finalist in the 2019 Victorian Sport Awards.
He is in the running for Male Athlete of The Year against wheelchair tennis star Dylan Alcott, snowboarder Scotty James and swimmer Matthew Temple.
Gourley said it was a privilege to be a finalist, with the nomination coming as a surprise.
“It definitely came out of the blue – I didn’t expect it at all,” he said.
“But I’m very humbled to be nominated, especially against such great athletes.”
In charge of interviewing athletes at last year’s awards, Gourley is excited to be a guest this year.
“It will be good to go back this time without holding a microphone in my hand.”
Gourley has arguably forged a decorated career.
A regular to the podium, Gourley has claimed a handful of gold medals competing at world cup events.
At the 2017 Alpine Skiing World Championships in Italy he won the gold medal in the men’s super-combined standing.
It was his maiden world championship title – capping a decade of hard work and determination.
He also has represented Australia at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, where he was named as the team’s co-captain.
An early comer to the sport, skiing has taken up a large part of Gourley’s life.
He picked up the skis at age eight, after he began visiting Mount Buller with his family.
“It’s a long drive to Geelong from Mount Buller, but I’d do it every weekend with mum,” he said.
“For someone that hadn’t done any proper training, I was doing pretty well.”
At age 11, Gourley was competing professionally and in 2006 he made his national team debut as a 15-year-old.
Growing up in Portarlington, the former Geelong Collage student also lived in Newtown and Barwon Heads before moving to Canada for a couple of years.
The now 28-year-old recently moved back to the region after buying a house in East Geelong with his partner, singer Imogen Brough.
“I like being a part in the community and having the great access to the beach, the mountains and the outdoors.
“There’s a lot to like about living down here.”
But despite living by the beach for much of his life, Gourley admits water sports were never his strength.
“I’m a terrible surfer,” he laughs.
“I always wanted to play team sports growing up – I was playing a lot of hockey, footy, cricket and basketball.”
With a changed focus entering the New Year, Gourley hopes to “give back” to the sport as much as he can and prepare himself for what’s to come with life after sport.
“This year is about connecting with who I am and my community,” he said.
“It’s a challenging time when you’ve been doing something for so long and then you get towards the end of your career.”
Asked whether he would return to the slopes Gourley said: “I plan to be back on the snow in December 2020 – training will kick off in July and we’ll progress from there.”
Fast Facts
Name: Mitch Gourley
Age: 28
Sport: Para-alpine skiing
Past Paralympic games: Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018
Started competing: 2002
Residence: East Geelong
Big wins: Gold medal, 2017 World Championships and bronze medal, 2019 World Championships
