Speakers

Peter (Pete) Williams is a New Zealand para-alpine sit-skier from Auckland. He graduated from the Auckland University of Technology in 2005. Passing on the 2002 Winter Paralympics in order to pursue his education, he competed at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in the giant slalom, where he finished 20th, and the slalom where he finished 22nd.

Pete Williams has spina bifida,^[1] and, at birth, doctors predicted a short life expectancy of only three weeks for him. They told his mother not to bother to feed him,^[2] Williams remarked in a TVNZ interview.^[3] He has had over forty surgeries related to his spina bifida.^[4] Originally from the Auckland area,^[5][6] during the southern winter he lived in the ski resort town of Wanaka and in the northern ski season was based in Winter Park.^[7]

In 1992, he competed in the Kiwi Kids Triathlon, and was the first child with a disability to do so.^[4] He attended Auckland University of Technology where he earned a Bachelor of Communications in 2005 after majoring in Television Production.^[4] In 2010, he was a finalist for New Zealand snowsport emerging talent of the year.^[8]