A keen skier since he was just two years old, Zac joined Perisher Winter Sports Club at age 7. Now 16, the talented alpine skier from Berridale, NSW has had the opportunity to train and ski in some of the world’s most amazing locations including Montgenevre, Grindelwald, Heavenly and Winter Park.
Zac has always dreamed of competing in the Winter Olympics so when at 15, he was diagnosed with Charcot- Marie Tooth Disease, he had to think twice about whether that was still possible.
Fortunately for Zac, he had his supportive Mum Yvette standing proudly in his corner.
“I said to him, your goals haven’t changed mate, it’s just your pathway that has.”
Charcot- Marie Tooth Disease is a progressive Nerve Disorder, which means that the nerves do not activate the muscles, and the muscles slowly atrophy. This affects both Zac’s hands and legs, with his left leg severely affected.
“Zac has to give so much extra, just to keep going with his training and the work that he puts in at the gym. He is there five days a week in the off season and in winter, he’s on snow five days a week and has two personal training sessions a week,” said Yvette.
“He is lucky to have amazing, local coaches and supporters that have known him for a very long time. They’re so encouraging and have worked with him not only on his skiing but also on managing the fatigue and the stress – they’re just phenomenal.”
Through the Snow Australia Futures program, Zac had the opportunity to meet and train alongside the Australian Para Alpine Team this past winter.
Zac is now a member of the Snow Australia Para Alpine Emerging Talent Program and a targeted 2026 Athlete with his eyes firmly on the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
For now, the first stop on Zac’s world tour is the National Ability Centre in Park City, Utah. Given there are no para-alpine ski races held in Australia, Zac hopes to travel to the US in December to compete in his first two para-races and train with other para-athletes including members of the US Paralympic Ski Team.
As a Variety Heart Scholarship Recipient in 2021, Yvette said both she and Zac are grateful for the financial assistance for what is a very expensive sport.
“Without Variety Zac could not compete on the international circuit. The scholarship is the difference between being able to afford to travel to overseas events or not going at all, it is the difference between adapting his skis or boots or struggling without adaptive equipment.” “As Zac enters the Snow Australia Para-Alpine Athlete Pathway and the Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) new skis of a set length and radius are required for each discipline.”
“As a single parent, it’s a huge relief to know that Variety are there to provide the funding that will help Zac achieve his goals.”
You can follow Zac’s adventures on the slopes on Facebook: Zac Bortoli – Alpine Skier and instagram @thatskiingkid.
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