Kevin Bramble
Encyclopedia
Kevin Bramble is an American
disabled ski racer
, freeskier
, and monoski
designer/builder from Cape May Court House
, New Jersey
. He competes as a monoskier
in the LW 12-1 class and is known as a "speed specialist," preferring to compete in downhill
and super G.
and began skiing recreationally in Pennsylvania
's Poconos at age 11. By 1994, he was a serious snowboarder and occasional skier living in the Lake Tahoe
area when he became paralyzed in a snowboarding accident. He soon taught himself to monoski
and moved to Winter Park, Colorado
, where he joined the Winter Park Disabled Ski Team. He returned to the Tahoe area soon after, settling in Truckee, California
, but having acquired the racing skills that he needed. He was named to the U.S. Disabled Ski Team in 1998 after winning the super G at that year's U.S. Disabled Alpine Championships.
Since 1998, Bramble has had an on-and-off relationship with the U.S. Ski Team, often competing in World Cup
competition but eschewing traditional race training in favor of freeskiing
with friends at Squaw Valley, California
. His greatest success has come in downhill
, beginning with a World Cup win on the Paralympic course at Snowbasin
, Utah
in 2001. A year later, Bramble was the odds-on favorite to win the downhill gold at the 2002 Winter Paralympics
in Salt Lake City, Utah
, and he did not disappoint, beating teammate Chris Devlin-Young
by just 0.17 seconds. Two years later at the Disabled Alpine Skiing World Championships
in Wildschönau
, Austria
, he again won gold in downhill, defeating Germany
's Thomas Mayer
by an astonishing 1.44 seconds. Two years later at the 2006 Winter Paralympics
in Torino, Italy, the pressure was on Bramble to win his third straight major world downhill championship. Once again Bramble proved his dominance, again knocking teammate Devlin-Young down to the silver-medal position with a wild run that won him the gold by nearly a full second.
Bramble has made a reputation for himself not only as a racer but also as a freeskier
. One of the first people to take a monoski into terrain parks, halfpipes, and extreme terrain
, Bramble and teammate Monte Meier are featured in Warren Miller
's 2006 ski movie Off the Grid.
Injuries and health problems have plagued Bramble throughout his career, and as of October 2006 it was questionable whether he would compete during the upcoming season, in which not a single downhill was scheduled on the World Cup calendar.
he had purchased, Bramble decided to design and build his own. After several prototypes resulted in a model he was satisfied with, he began hand-building monoskis for friends and teammates, and Kevin Bramble Goodz (KBG) was born. After operating the business out of his garage in Truckee
for several years, Bramble relocated back to his home town of Cape May Court House, New Jersey
, in 2004 so his family could help him run the business. Seven out of the 10 current U.S. Disabled Ski Team monoskiers ski in KBG monoskis. Bramble also builds his own unique, three-wheeled wheelchairs and has plans to launch a downhill mountain-bike wheelchair soon.http://www.usskiteam.com/public/team.php?sN=2&pD=5&dId=5&aId=157
for unsportsmanlike behavior.http://www.asdracing.org/daten/Info/Minutes%20Spring%20Meeting%20IPC%20Alpine%20Skiing2006.pdf
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
disabled ski racer
Paralympic alpine skiing
Paralympic alpine skiing is an adaptation of alpine skiing for athletes with a disability. Paralympic alpine skiing is one of the sports in the Paralympic Winter Games...
, freeskier
Freeskiing
Freeskiing or Newschool skiing involves tricks, jumps, and terrain park features, such as rails, boxes, jibs, or other obstacles. This form of skiing resulted from a combination of the growth in popularity of snowboarding as well as the progression of Freestyle skiing...
, and monoski
Monoski
The term monoski may refer to either of two unrelated pieces of ski equipment. It is the device used in the sport of monoskiing.The monoski, invented in the 1960s and popularized in the 1970s and '80s by monoskiers like Mike Doyle, is similar to a snowboard in that both feet are attached to one...
designer/builder from Cape May Court House
Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Cape May Court House is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Middle Township, in Cape May County, New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 4,704...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He competes as a monoskier
Monoski
The term monoski may refer to either of two unrelated pieces of ski equipment. It is the device used in the sport of monoskiing.The monoski, invented in the 1960s and popularized in the 1970s and '80s by monoskiers like Mike Doyle, is similar to a snowboard in that both feet are attached to one...
in the LW 12-1 class and is known as a "speed specialist," preferring to compete in downhill
Downhill
Downhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
and super G.
Career
Bramble grew up in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and began skiing recreationally in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
's Poconos at age 11. By 1994, he was a serious snowboarder and occasional skier living in the Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
area when he became paralyzed in a snowboarding accident. He soon taught himself to monoski
Monoski
The term monoski may refer to either of two unrelated pieces of ski equipment. It is the device used in the sport of monoskiing.The monoski, invented in the 1960s and popularized in the 1970s and '80s by monoskiers like Mike Doyle, is similar to a snowboard in that both feet are attached to one...
and moved to Winter Park, Colorado
Winter Park, Colorado
Winter Park is a Home Rule Municipality in Grand County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 662 at the 2000 census, although tourists and seasonal workers significantly increase the population....
, where he joined the Winter Park Disabled Ski Team. He returned to the Tahoe area soon after, settling in Truckee, California
Truckee, California
Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County, California, United States. The population was 16,180 at the 2010 census, up from 13,864 at the 2000 census.-Name:...
, but having acquired the racing skills that he needed. He was named to the U.S. Disabled Ski Team in 1998 after winning the super G at that year's U.S. Disabled Alpine Championships.
Since 1998, Bramble has had an on-and-off relationship with the U.S. Ski Team, often competing in World Cup
IPC Disabled Alpine World Cup
The IPC Disabled Alpine Skiing World Cup is an annual circuit of elite disabled alpine skiing competitions, regulated by the International Paralympic Committee and the International Ski Federation ....
competition but eschewing traditional race training in favor of freeskiing
Freeskiing
Freeskiing or Newschool skiing involves tricks, jumps, and terrain park features, such as rails, boxes, jibs, or other obstacles. This form of skiing resulted from a combination of the growth in popularity of snowboarding as well as the progression of Freestyle skiing...
with friends at Squaw Valley, California
Squaw Valley, California
Squaw Valley, California may refer to:*Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California, census-designated place located in Fresno County, California*Squaw Valley, Placer County, California, community in Placer County, California and host of the 1960 Winter Olympics...
. His greatest success has come in downhill
Downhill
Downhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
, beginning with a World Cup win on the Paralympic course at Snowbasin
Snowbasin
Snowbasin Resort is located northeast of Salt Lake City, in Weber County, Utah. Opened in 1939, as part of an effort by the city of Ogden, Utah to restore the Wheeler Creek watershed, it is one of the oldest ski resorts in the United States. Over the next 50 years Snowbasin grew slowly...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in 2001. A year later, Bramble was the odds-on favorite to win the downhill gold at the 2002 Winter Paralympics
2002 Winter Paralympics
The 2002 Winter Paralympics, the eighth Winter Paralympics, were held in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, from March 7 to March 16, 2002. A total of 416 athletes from 36 nations participated....
in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, and he did not disappoint, beating teammate Chris Devlin-Young
Chris Devlin-Young
Christopher Devlin-Young is an American alpine ski racer and two time Paralympic Champion, who resides in Campton, New Hampshire...
by just 0.17 seconds. Two years later at the Disabled Alpine Skiing World Championships
Disabled Alpine Skiing World Championships
The IPC Alpine skiing World Championship, along with the Winter Paralympic Games, are the most prestigious level of international competition in Paralympic alpine skiing...
in Wildschönau
Wildschönau
Wildschönau is an Austrian municipality within the district of Kufstein in Tyrol 6km south of Wörgl.The 24 km long high valley near Wörgl is one of the district's tourist centers. Besides a few hamlets, the municipality consists of the four church villages Niederau, Oberau, Auffach, and Thierbach...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, he again won gold in downhill, defeating Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's Thomas Mayer
Thomas Mayer
Thomas Mayer is emeritus professor of economics at the University of California, Davis. He previously taught at West Virginia University, Notre Dame University, Michigan State University, and the University of California, Berkeley. He is known for his work in monetary policy and economic...
by an astonishing 1.44 seconds. Two years later at the 2006 Winter Paralympics
2006 Winter Paralympics
The 2006 Winter Paralympic Games, the ninth Winter Paralympics, took place in Turin, Italy from 10 to 19 March 2006. These were the first Winter Paralympic Games to be held in Italy. They were also the first Paralympics to use the new paralympics logo....
in Torino, Italy, the pressure was on Bramble to win his third straight major world downhill championship. Once again Bramble proved his dominance, again knocking teammate Devlin-Young down to the silver-medal position with a wild run that won him the gold by nearly a full second.
Bramble has made a reputation for himself not only as a racer but also as a freeskier
Freeskiing
Freeskiing or Newschool skiing involves tricks, jumps, and terrain park features, such as rails, boxes, jibs, or other obstacles. This form of skiing resulted from a combination of the growth in popularity of snowboarding as well as the progression of Freestyle skiing...
. One of the first people to take a monoski into terrain parks, halfpipes, and extreme terrain
Extreme skiing
Extreme skiing is skiing performed on long, steep slopes in dangerous terrain. The sport is performed off-piste.The French coined the term 'Le Ski Extreme' in the 1970s...
, Bramble and teammate Monte Meier are featured in Warren Miller
Warren Miller (director)
Warren Miller is an American ski and snowboarding filmmaker. He is the founder of Warren Miller Entertainment and produced, directed and narrated his films until 1988. His credits include over 750 sports films, several books and hundreds of published non-fiction stories...
's 2006 ski movie Off the Grid.
Injuries and health problems have plagued Bramble throughout his career, and as of October 2006 it was questionable whether he would compete during the upcoming season, in which not a single downhill was scheduled on the World Cup calendar.
Monoski Manufacturer
After several years skiing in a monoskiMonoski
The term monoski may refer to either of two unrelated pieces of ski equipment. It is the device used in the sport of monoskiing.The monoski, invented in the 1960s and popularized in the 1970s and '80s by monoskiers like Mike Doyle, is similar to a snowboard in that both feet are attached to one...
he had purchased, Bramble decided to design and build his own. After several prototypes resulted in a model he was satisfied with, he began hand-building monoskis for friends and teammates, and Kevin Bramble Goodz (KBG) was born. After operating the business out of his garage in Truckee
Truckee, California
Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County, California, United States. The population was 16,180 at the 2010 census, up from 13,864 at the 2000 census.-Name:...
for several years, Bramble relocated back to his home town of Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Cape May Court House is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Middle Township, in Cape May County, New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 4,704...
, in 2004 so his family could help him run the business. Seven out of the 10 current U.S. Disabled Ski Team monoskiers ski in KBG monoskis. Bramble also builds his own unique, three-wheeled wheelchairs and has plans to launch a downhill mountain-bike wheelchair soon.http://www.usskiteam.com/public/team.php?sN=2&pD=5&dId=5&aId=157
Personality
Bramble is known for his easy-going, snowboarder persona but sometimes exhibits a rebellious streak which has landed him in trouble in the past. During his debut season on the World Cup in 1998-99, for instance, he was sent home from races in Europe after a confrontation with a team staff member. And in 2006, he was formally reprimanded by the International Paralympic CommitteeInternational Paralympic Committee
The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports...
for unsportsmanlike behavior.http://www.asdracing.org/daten/Info/Minutes%20Spring%20Meeting%20IPC%20Alpine%20Skiing2006.pdf