CARVING a path down a Canadian slope at more than 100 kilometres per hour aboard a single razor-sharp ski is a far cry from Cameron Rahles-Rahbula's home town of Camperdown.
But the Vancouver Winter Paralympic dual bronze medallist is more than happy to hibernate in his native state after the hype of the recent games.
With new fiancee Emily, Rahles-Rahbula has taken some time off the snow and has temporarily settled in Geelong to resume working as a physiotherapist and be near his family in the south-west.
The 27-year-old felt the break was well deserved after collecting the two men's downhill Paralympic medals in March.
While the world championships in Italy are just around the corner, Rahles-Rahbula said his main focus was four years away.
"The plan is to get back into skiing in 12 to 18 months," he said.
"I will still go overseas and I will go to the world championships in six months.
"I just need to keep my foot in the water, then I will ramp things up for (the 2014 Winter Paralympics in) Russia."
The Australian flagbearer for the closing ceremony was the special guest at the south-west Australian Sport Achievement Award presentations in Warrnambool yesterday.
He told the young award winners of his journey to the top of his sport.
At 14-years-old Rahles-Rahbula lost his lower left leg to cancer.
However, two weeks after the amputation, he was on the slopes of Mount Buller at a ski camp.
He has since competed in three Winter Paralympic games and enjoyed a swag of World Cup and World Championship podium finishes.
"My skis are sharper than a knife you would find in your kitchen," he told the enthralled crowd of award winners.
"I can't tell you how many times they've had to pull me out of a fence after travelling at speeds of more than 100 kilometres an hour."
Rahles-Rabula revealed he was carrying a long-term injury during his recent Paralympic campaign.
He said he suffered a niggling back injury in the most unlikely of circumstances.
"I was pushing my mate in a wheelchair over cobblestones on New Year's Eve," he said.
"We were coming home from the pub.
"It's ironic considering how dangerous my sport is and that's how I manage to get injured."
Rahles-Rahbula has most recently been recreationally skiing at Falls Creek and preparing for his wedding in December.
He said returning to the south-west was humbling.
"A lot of people congratulate you and it does make me realise how fortunate I've been," he said.
"But I've been doing it for nine years now, it's just part of my life.
"You've got to have a passion for your sport, you've really got to love it.
"It can't all be about winning medals."
However, Rahles-Rabula conceded once the bronze medals were around his neck earlier this year he was determined to go one, or two, steps on the podium better.
"The Paralympic medal was that one thing missing in the trophy cabinet... now I'd like to change the colour of it," he said.
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