The Para Team Salomon embodies a structural approach to inclusion in trail running, going beyond simple sponsorship to create a framework for athletic progression and technical research for athletes with disabilities. This initiative, which combines accessible performance with breakthrough innovation, is recognized as a nominee in the Social Initiative of the Year category at the Trail Running Awards.
The Adaptive Project: Equal Opportunity Through Sport
The Para Team Salomon was founded to support and empower athletes with disabilities, driven by the conviction that sport is a powerful lever for personal rebuilding and self-transcendence.
This initiative contributes to the recognition of all forms of athletic performance and aims to inspire a broad audience. The initiative is part of the broader Adaptive Project, which provides athletes with comprehensive support to define and achieve their goals, whether personal growth or a professional athletic project.
Feedback from athletes illustrates the impact of this commitment. After testing a prototype during an ascent, Michel Robert shared: "If I had met you 40 years earlier, my life would not have been the same."
Innovation: Aerospace Carbon in Trail Running
The most groundbreaking aspect of the Adaptive Project is the unprecedented collaboration it sparked: Salomon partnered with Airbus and the École des Mines d'Albi.
The goal was to make high-performance running prosthetics—whose cost is often prohibitive—financially accessible. This partnership between two distinct sectors—aerospace and outdoor sports—led to the development of an innovative running prosthetic using industrial carbon scraps from Airbus A340 production. This approach gives high-quality materials a second life while drastically reducing manufacturing costs for the equipment.
Para Team athletes play an active role in this R&D, combining their user expertise with engineers to design solutions tailored to the real-world demands of trail running.
Impact and Field Validation
The Para Team Salomon has demonstrated a tangible and growing impact within the trail and para-sport ecosystem:
Competition Presence: The team regularly participates in trail races throughout the year. Notably, a team athlete finished the CCC in 2025 and plans to take the start at the UTMB in 2026.
Paralympic Games: The initiative extends beyond trail running. Several team athletes are training for the Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics (Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Snowboarding), with some equipped with prototypes developed through the Adaptive Project.
This mobilization illustrates Salomon's commitment to making performance more accessible, paving the way for more inclusive practices across all outdoor sports.
