Canadian Para Alpine Skier Eriksson, Guide Smith Secure Silver at Milano-Cortina Paralympics

Canadian Para alpine skier Kalle Eriksson and his guide Sierra Smith made history by securing Canada’s first medal at the Milano-Cortina Paralympics. They won a silver medal in the men’s visually impaired downhill event, held on Saturday in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Their impressive time of 1 minute 18.33 seconds earned them a spot on the podium during their Paralympic debut.

Milano-Cortina Paralympics Highlights

The gold medal in the event went to Austria’s Johannes Aigner and his guide Nico Haberl, who finished 2.25 seconds ahead. Italy’s Giacomo Bertagnolli and Andrea Ravelli took home the bronze medal with a time of 1:18.64.

Canadian Achievements

• Kalle Eriksson: Hails from Kimberley, British Columbia.
• Sierra Smith: Resides in Ottawa; the pair teamed up in 2022.
• Completed their first season together, winning silver medals in both slalom and giant slalom at the previous year’s world championships.
• Combined, they have earned 22 World Cup medals over three seasons.

The duo utilizes a two-way headset for communication during their runs. Additionally, Calgarian sit-skier Kurt Oatway celebrated his own success by winning bronze in the men’s downhill classification with a time of 1:19.42, following Norwegian superstar Jesper Pedersen, who achieved the fastest time of 1:18.14.

Other Notable Performances

In the men’s standing downhill event, Canadian skier Alexis Guimond faced disappointment after managing a did-not-finish (DNF) due to a loss of balance. Meanwhile, Mollie Jepsen, the defending champion from West Vancouver, narrowly missed the podium by finishing fourth, just 4.10 seconds behind the leaders.

Both athletes have expressed their determination and hopes for the rest of the competition. Jepsen, however, revealed that she has re-aggravated a prior injury, which could impact her performance moving forward.

Further Canadian Medals

Shortly after Eriksson and Smith’s victory, Para nordic skier Natalie Wilkie contributed another silver for Canada in the women’s standing sprint biathlon. She clocked a time of 18:46.4, finishing just 4.9 seconds behind Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova, who secured the gold. Wilkie’s solid performance highlighted Canada’s strength in winter sports.

As the Milano-Cortina Paralympics continues, Canadian athletes are pushing for more medals, showcasing their dedication and resilience on international platforms.