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From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.

Tag: IPC World Championships

  • Golden Biathlon Breakthrough for Masters, Second Gold for Arendz and McKeever of 2017 IPC World Champs

    Golden Biathlon Breakthrough for Masters, Second Gold for Arendz and McKeever of 2017 IPC World Champs

    U.S. Paralympic skier Oksana Masters (c) along with Germany’s Anja Wicker (l) and Belarus’s Lidziya Hrafeyeva on the podium for the women’s 6-kilometer biathlon event on Saturday at the 2017 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing World Championships in Finsterau, Germany. (Photo: John Farra)

    The 2017 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing World Championships concluded this past weekend Feb. 18-19 in Finsterau, Germany with a biathlon sprint and a middle-distance cross-country event. Claiming their second gold medals of the week were Oksana Masters, of the U.S., and Canada’s Mark Arendz. Race recap and results below.

    ***

    The U.S. Paralympics Nordic Team’s Oksana Masters is plenty used to winning cross-country events. She ended last season undefeated in every cross-country race and earned World Championships titles in both the sprint and long-distance events earlier in the championships in Finsterau.

    But in biathlon, the 27 year old had yet to win a gold. However, that didn’t stop her from racing to a World Championships title in the women’s 6-kilometer sitting biathlon sprint on Saturday.

    “I am completely shocked,” Masters said to media outlets. “I entered this race with no expectations. I went from not being sure if I was going to be able to race the last two days to winning my first gold medal in biathlon. I’m so excited! I cannot wait to let this all soak in and race as hard as I can for one more race. It has been an amazing experience.”

    Despite feeling ill and not deciding until after her warmup on Saturday that she would indeed enter the race, Masters won in a time of 20:56.2 minutes, with two penalties (1+1). Finishing behind her in second was Germany’s Anja Wicker, who completed the course in 21:21.0 after one miss (1+0). In third after three misses (1+2) was Lidziya Hrafeyeva of Belarus, who finished in 21:48.0.

    Ukraine’s Maksym Yarovyi won the men’s 7 k sitting biathlon sprint, finishing in 21:36.1 after just one penalty (1+0). Shooting clean and placing second on the day was Yarovyi’s Ukrainian teammate, Taras Rad (21:48.9). German skier Martin Fleig finished in third in 21:48.9 after also hitting all of his targets as well.

    Just missing the podium for the second time this week was American Andy Soule in fourth. Soule missed one shot (0+1) and finished in 22:59.1. Behind him in fifth was his U.S. teammate Aaron Pike, who finished in 23:06.5 after shooting clean.

    Two Canadians also competed in the event, with Derek Zaplotinsky finishing 10th in 24:29.4 after shooting clean, and Cameron Collin placed 12th in 25:13.1 after three misses (2+1).

    Canada’s Mark Arendz (c) celebrates his second World Championships gold alongside France’s Benjamin Daviet (r) and Ukraine’s Ihor Reptyukh on the podium for the men’s 7.5-kilometer standing biathlon event on Saturday, Feb. 18, at the 2017 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships in Finsterau, Germany. (Photo: Robin McKeever/Twitter)

    If Canada’s Mark Arendz had any regret about his missed shot at gold last Thursday, he found redemption in Saturday’s 7.5 k standing biathlon sprint.

    “I refocused on a new day, new race,” Arendz wrote in an email to FasterSkier of his approach to Saturday’s competition following Thursday’s silver place finish. “I knew the margin of error would be small in such a tight race. Going into the race my biggest was on recovery and preparation for Saturday’s race. The body felt great before, during and after the race. I was excited to have that feeling of renewed energy back in the legs.”

    Arendz shot 100 percent and raced to first place, earning his second gold medal for the week in a time of 18:30.0.

    I didn’t make any changes to my shooting,” Arendz added. “I considered it but in end went with what has been successful and working for me.”

    Finishing behind Arendz in a time of 18:32.6 and also shooting clean, was Ukraine’s Ihor Reptyukh in second place. Bronze went to France’s Benjamin Daviet, who clocked in at 18:57.2 after just one miss (0+1).

    In the women’s standing 6 k biathlon sprint, Ukraine once again claimed the win, with Liudmyla Liashenko emerging victorious with clean shooting in 18:25.0. Her teammate Oleksandra Kononova placed second (19:15.2) with two misses (2+0). Shooting clean for the final podium spot in third (19:24.1) was Iryna Bui, also of Ukraine.

    Canadians Emily Young and Brittany Hudak claimed eighth and 10th respectively. Young completed the course in 21:11.0 with one miss (0+1), while Hudak clocked in at 22:30.9 with two misses (2+0).

    In the women’s 6 k visually impaired biathlon sprint, Ukraine was again victorious with Oksana Shyshkova claiming first in 20:15.7 after three missed shots.

    Second place went to Germany’s Clara Klug, who completed the course in 20:38.8 after shooting 100 percent.

    “It’s just overwhelming,” Klug said, according to an IPC press release. “I said I wanted to win three Filus (the mascot of this event) and now I’ve got three. I love it here in Finsterau. A big thank you to the team and my guide Martin Hartl, who yells a lot at me on the course but it really helps!”

    Ukraine put two on the podium with Olga Prylutska taking third in 21:42.3 with three misses (1+2).

    Marking the fourth win for Ukraine on the day was Anatolii Kovalevskyi, taking gold in the men’s 7.5 k visually impaired biathlon sprint. Kovalevskyi completed the course in a time of 19:55.9 for the win, missing just one shot (1+0).

    Belarus’s Vasili Shaptsiaboi earned silver, finishing in 20:15.4 after two misses (2+0). Rounding out the podium and taking bronze was France’s Anthony Chalencon, who clocked in at 20:37.2 after one missed shot (0+1).

    Day 6 Results: Women’s 6 k biathlon sitting | Men’s 7 k biathlon sitting | Women 6 k biathlon standing | Men 7.5 k biathlon standing | Women biathlon 6 k visually impaired | Men 7.5 k biathlon visually impaired

    ***

    Canada’s Brian McKeever (third from r) with his guide Graham Nishikawa (third from left) after winning his second medal of 2017 IPC World Championships and 18th career World Championships gold on Feb. 16 in Finsterau, Germany. He racked up another individual gold on Sunday, Feb. 19, in the men’s 10 k visually impaired race to end the championships. (Photo: Robin McKeever/Twitter)

    Day 7

    With seven races over the course of nine days and only two days off, the IPC World Championships competitions were bound to test even the most accomplished of IPC athletes, including Canada’s Brian McKeever.

    “We had four races in five days so it was a lot about survival today,” McKeever said after Sunday’s race, according to a Canadian Para-Nordic Skiing press release.

    McKeever didn’t just survive the final race, he won it. The 37-year-old 18-time World Champion racked up his 19th career gold in the men’s 10 k visually impaired cross-country race in 22:15.1, besting both Thomas Clarion of France and Yury Holub of Belarus.

    “Our performances are showing that things are moving back in the right direction after being sick around Christmas. [My guide] Graham is in incredible shape right now, and a step above me which is important for us,” McKeever said.

    Clarion ended the day in second, finishing in a time of 22:45.6, while Holub took third in a time of 22:48.1.

    For the second day in a row, Shyshkova earned gold, winning the women’s 7.5 k visually impaired event in 20:23.2. Claiming silver was Sviatlana Sakhanenka of Belarus in 21:05.9, while bronze went to Austria’s Carina Edlinger in a time of 21:11.5.

    American Oksana Masters racing to her fifth medal, fourth gold of 2017 IPC World Championships, in the women’s 7.5-kilometer sitting cross-country event on Feb. 19 in Finsterau, Germany. (Photo: John Farra)

    Continuing her dominance in the women’s sitting field, Masters claimed her fifth individual medal, fourth gold, on Sunday, winning the women’s 7 k sitting cross-country event in a time of 14:15.5.

    Finishing behind Masters in a time of 14:30.5 for the silver medal was Germany’s Andrea Eskau. Norwegian Birgit Skarstein rounded out the podium in third, clocking in at 14:42.4.

    Finding the podium once again after two fourth place finishes was Soule, who earned bronze in the men’s 7 k sitting cross-country event. Soule’s time of 20:10.4 landed him third place, just behind Belarus’s Dzmitry Loban in second (19:53.3) and Ukraine’s Yarovyi in first (19:39.4)

    American Andy Soule (r) on the podium with Ukrainian winner Maksym Yarovyi (c) and Belarus’s Dzmitry Loban (l) after the men’s 7-kilometer sitting cross-country race on Feb. 19 at the 2017 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships in Finsterau, Germany. (Photo: John Farra)

    The win was Yarovyi’s second in a row.

    “I am really happy because this is my personal best result for gold medals at a World Championships,” Yarovyi said according to an IPC press release. “I can’t express my feelings, I am just really happy.”

    Also in the men’s 7 k sitting race, Pike raced to eighth (20:58.1) for eighth place, Canada’s Zaplotinsky placed 12th (21:39.8) and his teammate Sebastien Fortier finished just behind him in 13th (21:43.8).

    Adding to his growing medal count, Canada’s Arendz secured his fifth medal of the week in the final men’s 10 k standing cross-country competition, racing to third place in a time of 23:08.9.   

    Canada’s Mark Arendz (r) capping off 2017 IPC World Championships with his fifth medal and first cross-country bronze in the men’s 10 k standing cross-country event on Feb. 19. In all, Arendz racked up two golds, one silver, and two bronze in Finsterau, Germany. France’s Benjamin Daviet (c) and Ukraine’s Ihor Reptyukh (l) reached the podium for the second-straight day as well, placing first and second, respectively. (Photo: Robin McKeever/Twitter)

    “I went into today’s race not sure what would happen given it was my sixth race in nine days. I started strong and kept it going for as long as I could,” Arendz said, according to a team press release. “It was a tight race. I threw everything I had left out there.”

    Placing ahead of Arendz in first and second respectively was France’s Daviet and Ukraine’s Reptyukh. Daviet clocked in at 21:52.9 for the win, while Reptyukh finished in 22:22.9 for second place.

    In the women’s 7.5 k standing cross-country event, all three top spots went to Ukraine, with Kononova taking gold in 19:30.7. Finishing behind her in 19:46.6 for second place was Liashenko, while third went to Iuliia Batenkova (20:20.3).

    Clocking in at 21:30.5 was Canada’s Young in seventh and rounding out the Canadians women’s team was Hudak in 10th, after finishing in 23:31.7.

    Day 7 Results: Men’s 10 k visually impaired | Women’s 7.5 k visually impaired | Men’s 7 k sitting | Women’s 7 k sitting | Men’s 10 k standing | Women’s 7.5 k standing

  • Another Gold for Masters; Historic Relay Medal for Canada; McKeever Wins 20 k at IPC World Champs

    Another Gold for Masters; Historic Relay Medal for Canada; McKeever Wins 20 k at IPC World Champs

    American Oksana Masters (c) after winning her second-straight cross-country race of 2017 IPC World Championships on Thursday in Finsterau, Germany. She is joined on the podium by Norway’s Birgit Skarstein (l) in second and Germany’s Andrea Eskau in third. (Photo: U.S. Paralympics)

    After a rest day, Paralympic athletes returned to the nordic venue in Finsterau, Germany, for Days 3, 4, and 5 of the 2017 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Nordic Skiing Championships. Long-distance biathlon races took place Tuesday, cross-country relays on Wednesday and individual cross-country races on Thursday.

    ***

    At the finish of Tuesday’s 15-kilometer individual biathlon race, Canada’s Mark Arendz could only think about one thing: his miss. But later, with his second 2017 World Championships medal, this one silver, around his neck after finishing in  39:21.9 minutes, the miss in his final stage (0+0+0+1) was no longer on his mind.

    Left to right: Canada’s Mark Arendz, France’s Benjamin Daviet and Norway’s Nils-Erik Ulset on the podium for the men’s 15 k biathlon standing event held on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at the 2017 IPC World Nordic Skiing Championships in Finsterau, Germany. (Photo: Robin McKeever/Twitter)

    “After crossing the finish line, all I could initially think about was the single miss (in shooting), and the fact I let the gold slip through my fingers,” Arendz said, according to a Canadian Para-Nordic Skiing press release. “But I quickly warmed up to the fact that I had won a World Championship silver medal.”

    Finishing ahead of Arendz for first place was France’s Benjamin Daviet who also shot 19-for-20 and covered the course in time of 38:33.7.

    “I am very happy and honoured. This is great and what I came here for,” Daviet said according to an IPC press release. “I will not celebrate because there are many races ahead. I hope to win more medals in Finsterau.”

    Norwegian Nils Erik Ulset claimed the final podium spot, finishing third in a time of 40:26.7 after two penalties (1+0+1+0).

    In the women’s 12.5 k standing biathlon event, Ukraine’s Liudmyla Liashenko came away with the win. She missed just one shot (1+0+0+0) and finished in a time of 39:10.0.

    “I am really happy. I want to dedicate this triumph to all my family, friends and all who have supported me all along this journey,” Liashenko said according to an IPC press release.

    In her first podium appearance, Japan’s Momoko Dekijima claimed second in 42:49.3 after two misses (1+1+0+0). Third place went to Ukraine’s Iryna Bui, who finished in 43:53.1 with three penalties (0+2+0+1).

    Canada’s Brittany Hudak raced to fifth with a single miss (0+1+0+0), finishing in 44:14.9.

    Racking up another gold medal on his home turf, Germany’s Martin Fleig took the win in the men’s 15 k sitting biathlon race in 44:39.4 with one miss (0+0+1+0).

    “I did not expect this,” Fleig said according to an IPC press release. “I had a good feeling in the morning but could not imagine the race would be so perfect. It is unbelievable that now I am a two-time world champion. It is awesome.”

    Earning silver behind Fleig was Taras Rad of Ukraine, who had four penalties (2+1+0+1) and finished in 48:01.3. Trygve Steinar Larsen of Norway earned bronze, finishing in 49:07.9 with three penalties (2+0+0+1).

    Just missing the podium with a career-best fourth was American Aaron Pike, who finished in 51:10.2 with five penalties (1+0+1+3). Canada’s Derek Zaplotinsky placed just behind Pike in fifth for his personal best, finishing in 53:28.1 with four misses as well (0+1+2+1).

    Behind them, American Andy Soule finished in seventh in 54:26.7 with nine penalties (2+2+2+3).

    Right to left: American Oksana Masters, Germany’s Anja Wicker and Ukraine’s Lidziya Hrafeyeva on top of the podium for the women’s 12.5 k sitting biathlon event on Tuesday at the 2017 IPC World Nordic Skiing Championships in Finsterau, Germany. (Photo: Oksana Masters/Twitter)

    Germany earned another victory at home in the women’s 12.5 k sitting biathlon event, with Anja Wicker returning to the podium, this time in first place.

    “I am super happy, my biggest dream came true. I was hoping this would happen, it was a perfect day for me,” Wicker said according to an IPC press release.  “Whilst I was still competing, I heard that Martin [Fleig] had already won gold and that motivated me to do the same.”

    Wicker finished in 43:07.3 with one miss (0+0+1+0). Behind her in second place was Belarus’s Lidziya Hrafeyeva, who finished in 46:05.2 after three penalties (0+2+1+0).

    American Oksana Masters also returned to the podium for her first biathlon medal of the week, finishing in 46:43.7 with four misses (2+2+0+0).

    Earning the gold medal in the men’s 15 k visually impaired biathlon race was Vasili Shaptsiaboi of Belarus, who finished in 40:47.3 with just one miss (0+0+0+1). Ukraine took the final two podium spots, with Anatolii Kovalevskyi earning silver in 41:55.2 and one miss (0+1+0+0) and his teammate Vitaliy Lukyanenko finishing just behind him for bronze in 42:21.2, also with one penalty (1+0+0+0).

    Ukraine’s Oksana Shyshkova finally found her gold on Tuesday, winning the women’s visually impaired 12.5 k biathlon event after shooting clean and finishing in a time of 38:26.6.

    “After winning two silvers in Finsterau, I am happy to finally take gold,” Shyshkova said according to an IPC press release. “Now I have to focus on the next events, do my job, give my best and the results will come as a consequence.”

    Silver went to Germany’s Clara Klug in a time of 43:58.2 with two missed shots (0+0+0+2), while Ukraine’s Olga Prylutska earned bronze in a time of 45:16.0 after six misses (1+4+0+1).

    Day 3 results: Men’s 15 k standing | Women’s 12.5 k standing | Men’s 15 k sitting | Women’s 12.5 k sitting |  Men’s 15 k visually impaired | Women’s 12.5 k visually impaired

    Day 4

    Wednesday, the fourth day of racing at the 2017 IPC World Nordic Skiing Championships was marked by mixed and open relays. The U.S. did not field a team, as no standing American athletes are present at this competition series. Canada entered a team in the open relay event.

    ***

    Canada made history on Wednesday earning its first World Championships relay medal with Brian McKeever, Emily Young and Arendz.

    McKeever, a visually impaired racer, started first. He tagged off to Young, a standing skier, and Arendz, also in the standing category, and back to McKeever. The quartet finished third in  24:53.4 just 57.5 seconds away from the win.

    “It is pretty awesome to have such a great result today with the boys, and finally snag my first World Championship medal,” Young said, according to a team press release.

    Young was one of the only women racing amidst the top teams.

    “Being one of the only girls out there, it was tough to ski against the men’s field but I gave my best effort, and that was all I could do,” Young said, according to a CCC press release. “I just had to remember to ski my race, and know that I would likely fall behind a bit. I skied the fastest so far on this course. It was a very exciting race and I am very proud of the team.”

    The win went to France in a time of 23:55.9, with standing skier Daviet leading the team, followed by visually impaired skier Anthony Chalencon, Daviet again and then standing skier, Thomas Clarion.

    Norway took second place, 23.8 seconds behind France, with standing skier Ulset racing the first leg for the team, standing skier Hakon Olsrud taking the second leg, Ulset the third and visually impaired skier Eirik Bye anchoring the team.

    In the mixed 4 x 2.5 k relay, it was Ukraine’s team comprised of visually impaired skier Iurii Utkin, who skied the first leg, followed by the three standing skiers Liashenko, Iuliia Batenkova, and Oleksandra Kononova. The Ukrainian team finished in a time of 26:56.5 for the win.

    “This is a really good result, we made a huge effort to achieve this,” Ukrainian head coach Andriy Nesterenko said according to an IPC press release.

    Sweden earned silver, with standing skier Helene Ripa and visually impaired skier Zebastian Modin racing for the team. The duo completed the event in a time of 27:17.5, just 21 seconds back from first place.

    The final mixed relay podium spot went to Belarus, with sit skier Dzmitry Loban leading the first leg, followed by visually impaired racer Sviatlana Sakhanenka. Sit skier Valiantsina Shyts raced the third leg, and visually impaired skier Mikita Ladesau anchored the team to finish in a time of 28:12.3.

    Day 4 results: Mixed relay | Open relay

    ***

    Canada’s Brian McKeever (third from r) with his guide Graham Nishikawa (third from left) after winning his second medal of 2017 IPC World Championships and 18th career World Championships gold on Feb. 16 in Finsterau, Germany. (Photo: Robin McKeever/Twitter)

    Day 5

    Just four days after she earned her first World Championships gold, Masters, of the U.S. Paralympics Nordic A-team, repeated the feat on Thursday, earning her second gold medal of the week.

    Masters, 27, raced to first place in the women’s 12 k sitting cross-country event, finishing in 36:01.0. She outlasted Norway’s Birgit Skarstein, who finished second in 36:51.7, as well as Germany’s Andrea Eskau in third (37:00.0).

    “I had some nerves going into the race today, but I used them to motivate me,” Masters said, according to a U.S. Paralympics press release. “I felt good and am really happy with how today went.”

    In the men’s 15 k sitting cross-country event, Ukraine’s Maksym Yarovyi took the win, finishing in 40:32.4. Eui Hyun Sin of South Korea earned silver, finishing in 40:56.7, while Germany’s Fleig nabbed the the final podium spot in third (41:05.4).

    Racing for the U.S., Soule narrowly missed the podium in fourth place, finishing in 41:36.4. Two Canada’s Collin Cameron placed seventh in 42:12.1 and Sebastien Fortier was 10th in 44:29.0.

    Germany’s Carina Edlinger claimed gold in the women’s 15 k visually impaired event, ahead of Ukraine’s Shyshkova and Prylutska. Edlinger finished in a time of 55:40.1 for the win, Shyshkova  in 57:11.9 and Prylutska in 1:00:01.8.

    Racking up his 18th World Championships gold on Thursday was Canada’s 37-year-old McKeever, who won the men’s 20 k visually impaired race in 57:35.4.

    “Graham skied really, really well today,” McKeever said of his guide, Graham Nishikawa, according to a team press release. “In fact he put me in an uncomfortable place for a large portion of the race, and I may have done the same for him in spots. There are different sections where we felt really good, and then others poorly. You are just comfortable with certain terrain, but it was really, really hot today and that just makes it tough to be relaxed when it is like that. It is a constant mental battle.”

    Finishing behind McKeever in second was Sweden’s Modin in 1:00:24.6. Norway’s Bye claimed the final spot in third (1:00:58.8).

    In the women’s 15 k standing cross-country race, Ukraine’s Kononova took the win, completing the course in a time of 51:56.9. Her Ukrainian teammate, Batenkova earned silver, finishing in  53:38.1, while Liashenko rounded out the all-Ukranian podium in third (53:59.4).

    Finishing just off the podium in fourth was Canada’s Young, after completing the course in 54:21.3. Behind her in fifth was her Canadian teammate Hudak, finishing in 55:53.9.

    Ukraine earned another gold, this time on the men’s side, with Ihor Reptyukh taking first place in the men’s 20 k standing cross-country event. Reptyukh finished in 58:03.1, while Finland’s lkka Tuomisto placed just behind him in second (58:39.1). Third went to Yoshihiro Nitta (58:51.6).

    Canada’s Arendz ended the day in fifth (59:34.4).

    “The most exciting part for me is watching these young guys like Brittany and Emily killing it in classic, or watching Collin who has become a superstar over year in just his second year,” McKeever said in the press release. “I’m old has heck, but you see these development guys come in and all you can do is give them the toolbox to achieve success and show them the door, but they have to open it. These guys are and they are nailing it.”

    Two days of racing remain for the 2017 IPC World Championships, with biathlon sprints on Saturday and middle-distance cross-country races on Sunday.

    Day 5 results: Men’s 20 k standing | Women’s 15 k standing | Men’s 15 k sitting | Women’s 12 k sitting |  Men’s 20 k visually impaired | Women’s 15 k visually impaired

  • T-1 Day ‘Til IPC World Championships in Cable; U.S. Team Raring to Go

    T-1 Day ‘Til IPC World Championships in Cable; U.S. Team Raring to Go

    (L-R) Dan Cnossen, Omar Bermejo and Oksana Masters are three members of the U.S. team who will be competing at the IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships in Cable, Wisconsin. (Photo: U.S. Paralympics)
    From left to right: Dan Cnossen, Omar Bermejo and Oksana Masters are three members of the U.S. team who will be competing at the IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships in Cable, Wis., with races starting on Saturday. (Photo: U.S. Paralympics)

    Note: This article has been updated to include the most recent information on the 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships according to an IPC Nordic Skiing press release.

    This past fall, FasterSkier spoke with Yuriy Gusev, head of the Cable 2015 organizing committee and executive director of Central Cross Country (CXC), about the ongoing preparations to host the upcoming International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing World Championships in Cable, Wis. It seemed like a long ways off at the time, and now it’s here: being held for the third time in the U.S., for the first time in a decade.

    With Cable and the Telemark primed for the event, which includes 135 athletes from 15 countries from Jan. 23-Feb. 1, we had an opportunity to check in with U.S. Paralympics Nordic High Performance Coach Eileen Carey to see how the U.S. team was preparing. The U.S. roster was announced Jan. 9 and includes nine returners (out of 16) from last year’s Paralympics team at the Sochi Winter Games. All but one of them are sit skiers; Omar Bermejo is the lone standing athlete.

    U.S. 2015 IPC Nordic World Championships Team:

    Men
    – Omar Bermejo (Marine Corps/Grand Rapids, Mich.)
    – Lt. Cmdr. Dan Cnossen (Navy/Topeka, Kan.)
    – Sean Halsted (Air Force/Rathdrum, Wash.)
    – Augusto Perez (East Syracuse, N.Y.)
    – Aaron Pike (Park Rapids, Minn.)
    – Bryan Price (Army/Belton, Mo.)
    – Andy Soule (Army/Pearland, Texas)

    Women
    – Oksana Masters (Louisville, Ky.)
    – Tatyana McFadden (Clarksville, Md.)

    The two members of the women’s team found repeated success in Sochi, with Oksana Masters and Tatyana McFadden taking home three combined medals.

    Masters became the first female U.S. cross-country skier to win a Paralympic medal in 20 years at the Games, initially earning silver in the 12-kilometer sitting event. She also won bronze in the 5 k cross-country. This season, Masters racked up three medals at the World Cup opener in Finland, winning gold in the 1 k cross-country sprint, and silver in the biathlon 6 k as well as the 5 k cross-country.

    In Sochi, McFadden notched silver in the women’s 1 k cross-country sprint, and in the time since, she has continued her domination of the road-marathon circuit. After the ski season ended, McFadden won four world-caliber marathons in Boston, London, Chicago and New York City. It was the second-straight year that McFadden achieved the marathon grand slam in wheelchair racing.

    U.S. Paralympics Nordic skier Oksana Masters (r} talks to coach Eileen Carey before her first time on a treadmill on Sept. 16 at the Olympic Training Center on Sept. 16 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
    U.S. Paralympics Nordic skier Oksana Masters (r) talks to coach Eileen Carey before her first time on a treadmill on Sept. 16 at the Olympic Training Center on Sept. 16 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

    Masters and McFadden missed U.S. nationals because of injury and ilnees, respectively.

    “Earlier in the season, Masters had a minor back injury and McFadden had the flu and were forced to miss the last World Cup event and the US Nationals,” Carey explained. “Both are back healthy and will be in the field in Cable.”

    On the men’s side, Andy Soule leads a strong men’s team heading into World Championships. A veteran sit skier, Soule is a bronze Paralympic medalist from the 2010 Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he shot an unprecedented perfect 50-for-50 in all three biathlon races. In Sochi, Soule finished in the top five in every event he competed in and placed fourth twice (in the 7.5 k biathlon and 15 k biathlon).

    He split the number of U.S. sit-ski titles won at this year’s nationals with teammate Lt. Dan Cnossen (both men won two races at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah). Cnossen won the men’s sitting short and sprint cross-country races, while he finished as the runner-up to Soule in the long distance cross-country and biathlon sprint races.

    Lt. Dan Cnossen negotiates the final turn on the course 100 meters from the finish en route to his sprint-final victory at 2015 U.S. Paralympics Nordic Nationals at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah. (Photo: U.S. Paralympics Nordic Program)
    Lt. Dan Cnossen negotiates the final turn 100 meters from the finish en route to his sprint-final victory at 2015 U.S. Paralympics Nordic Nationals at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah. (Photo: U.S. Paralympics Nordic Program)

    FasterSkier: How has the season gone so far?

    Eileen Carey: We had a strong opening to our season at the December World Cup races in Finland with a small group of athletes. We followed that with a great U.S. Nationals that brought together our top athletes with developing skiers and biathletes. Those two events showed both the high performance capacity and development focus of our program, both of which are critical to our long-term success.

    FS: What is the atmosphere of the team leading to these World Championships on U.S. soil?

    EC: Our athletes are becoming students of skiing and biathlon and driving the process of what and how they want to learn. This has created a great atmosphere for our whole program and has energized both athletes and staff. We are excited to take that energy to an event like World Champs, especially being at home. The Cable organizing committee has always been so welcoming and excited to have us and that gives us a great boost as a team.

    FS: What are your goals and expectations for this years team?

    EC: Our team philosophy is based on the concept that athletes are their own best coaches. Their training and racing has been focused on the idea that there are no “right” ways to do anything. As a result, this season they have gotten really creative and analytical about figuring out what works for them and exploring many different solutions. Our intentions are that bi-products of this exploration are improvements in skill, self-awareness as an athlete, and eventually performance. Our goals and expectations as a program are that our athletes will keep pushing those boundaries and continuing to think of different and perhaps better ways to train and race. Through this continual evolution, I think great performances will follow.

    FS: What are your thoughts on this years course? How does this course compare to 2013?

    EC: The courses in Cable will be a combination of courses we have skied there in the past, and some new features that will improve the experience for the athletes. We have spent some workouts focused on some of the terrain and technical features we will see there, so I think everyone is excited to be on the snow in Cable and test out what we have been working on.

    FS: What events will the team participate in?

    EC: We will have athletes competing each race day, with most competing in a combination of biathlon and cross-country races. Eight of our 9 athletes are sit skiers.  Omar Bermejo is our only standing skier to make the team and this will be the first time this season that we will all be together, so we are looking forward to being a full team.

    “We have a great team of athletes who have taken a very professional approach to training and building upon last season, ”Carey said in a U.S. Paralympics press release. “We are thrilled to get another chance to test out some of our training and racing strategies, ultimately focused on improving in each race. Having the opportunity to do that on home snow is a great bonus for us.”

    IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships Schedule of Events

    The opening ceremony will kick off Friday, Jan. 23 and the championships run through Feb. 1. 

    All seven days of the championships, which includes 38 events between cross-country and biathlon, will be streamed live at Cable2015.com and USParalympics.org from Jan. 24 to Feb. 1.

    Saturday, Jan. 24
    Biathlon Sprint – Penalty Loop
    Sitting: Men 7.5km (3 x 2.5 km) / Women 6.0 km (3 x 2.0 km)
    Standing: Men 7.5km (3 x 2.5 km) / Women 6.0 km (3 x 2.0 km)
    Visually Impaired: Men 7.5km (3 x 2.5 km) / Women 6.0 km (3 x 2.0 km)

    Sunday, Jan. 25
    Cross Country Long – Free
    Sitting: Men 15 km (5 x 3.0 km) / Women 12 km (4 x 3.0 km)
    Standing: Men 20 km (5 x 4.0 km) / Women 15 km (5 x 3.0 km)
    Visually Impaired: Men 20 km (5 x 4.0 km) / Women 15 km (5 x 3.0 km)

    Tuesday, Jan. 27
    Biathlon Middle Distance – Penalty Loop
    Sitting: Men 12.5 km (5 x 2.5 km) / Women 10 km (5 x 2.0 km)
    Standing: Men 12.5 km (5 x 2.5 km) / Women 10 km (5 x 2.0 km)
    Visually Impaired: Men 12.5 km (5 x 2.5 km) / Women 10 km (5 x 2.0 km)

    Wednesday, Jan. 28
    Cross Country Sprint – Classic
    Sitting: Men/Women 0.8 km
    Standing: Men/Women 1.2 km
    Visually Impaired: Men/Women 1.2 km

    Friday, Jan. 30
    Biathlon Individual Distance
    Sitting: Men 15 km (5 x 3.0 km) / Women 12.5 km (5 x 2.5 km)
    Standing: Men 15 km (5 x 3.0 km) / Women 12.5 km (5 x 2.5 km)
    Visually Impaired: Men 15 km (5 x 3.0 km) / Women 12.5 km (5 x 2.5 km)

    Saturday, Jan. 31
    Cross Country Relay – CL/Free/CL/Free
    Open: 10 km (4 x 2.5 km)
    Mixed: 10 km (4 x 2.5 km)

    Sunday, Feb. 1
    Cross Country Middle Distance – Classic
    Sitting: Men 10 km (4 x 2.5 km) / Women 5 km (2 x 2.5 km)
    Standing: Men 10 km (4 x 2.5 km) / Women 5 km (2 x 2.5 km)
    Visually Impaired: Men 10 km (4 x 2.5 km) / Women 5 km (2 x 2.5 km)

    For updates throughout IPC World Championships, follow FasterSkier’s Para Nordic blog.

  • Paralympic World Championship Update

    The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Biathlon and Cross-Country World Championships are currently underway in Khanty Mansisk, Russia. With four of eight race days completed, Russia has stood out as the dominant force, leading the overall medal count with 25. Ukraine is second with nine.

    The Canadian team has won four medals – though they are all of the gold variety. Veteran Brian McKeever has led the way with two of those wins, skiing in the visually impaired category with a new guide – Erik Carleton. McKeever’s longtime partner, brother Robin, is out with a torn ACL.

    The switch has not slowed Brian, and he won both the 10k skate and 20k classic races.

    Colette Bourgonje and Chris Klebl took gold in the 10/15km sit-ski event rounding out the Canadian medal performances thus far.

    For the US Sean Halstead has been busy, racing both biathlon and cross-country. He finished 10th in the 15km cross-country sit-ski and 14th in the 3k biathlon sprint, and 14th again in the 10km sit-ski He was joined in all three races by teammate Daniel Cnossen.

    Neither man qualified for the biathlon pursuit but will have the opportunity to race both the long distance biathlon and remaining xc events.

    On the women’s side, Kelly Underkofler finished seventh in the 5km skate for the US. Canadian Jody Barber took fourth in that race.

    Complete Results can be found here.

    Press releases from Cross-Country Canada

    Canada’s Brian McKeever Wins Gold with New Guide at IPC Cross Country Skiing World Championships

    Khanty Mansiysk, RUS—Canada’s Brian McKeever continued his dominance of the IPC World Championships despite having a new man in front guiding him to the top of the podium.

    The 31-year-old McKeever of Canmore, Alta., teamed up with childhood ski friendErik Carleton of Calgary, to win the gold medal in the men’s 10-kilometre visually impaired skate-ski race at the IPC World Championships on Sunday in Khanty Mansiyski, Russia. The Canadian duo, who grew up skiing and racing together in Alberta clocked a winning time of 24 minutes, 28.5 seconds.

    “We skied a good controlled race from start to finish,” said McKeever, who was competing in his first IPC competition since winning three gold medals at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. “Having not raced on the IPC circuit this year there was some stress and uncertainty coming into this competition. That is now gone, and we can focus on skiing hard and enjoying the rest of the events. Erik skied smoothly and we worked well together.

    With his brother Robin McKeever, who has guided him to 10 Paralympic medals including seven gold, forced to the sidelines with a torn ACL, the younger McKeever tapped on the shoulder of longtime buddy in 33-year-old Carleton to fill in and carry the torch at the IPC World Championships.

    “We had a good plan to ski controlled, and see where the competition was in relation to us,” said Carleton following his first race. “We stuck to the plan and it worked out.”

    Carleton and the younger McKeever were introduced to skiing at the same time when they signed up for a Jackrabbit ski program in Calgary. The two began racing together at the age of 13, and the friends became roommates when they moved to Canmore after eventually qualifying for the National Development Team.

    McKeever and Carleton were joined on the podium by Russia’s Nikolay Polukhin and Andrey Tokarev, who locked up the silver with a time of 25:14.3. Mikalai Shablouski, of Belarus, guided Vasili Shaptsiaboi to the bronze medal at 25:48.5.

    Canada had a stellar day in the middle distance cross-country ski races on Sunday with two athletes also finishing fourth and one in sixth.

    Jody Barber, of Smithers, B.C., had an excellent race finishing just 16 seconds out of a podium spot in fourth place. The 2010 Paralympian clocked a time of 16:23.6 in the women’s five-kilometre skate-ski race in the women’s standing division. Poland’s Katarzyna Rogowiec won the category after posting a time of 14:54.3.

    Chris Klebl, of Canmore, Alta., also stormed into fourth spot. Klebl, who joined the Canadians from the American program this year, narrowly missed the podium in the men’s 10-kilometre sit-ski race. Klebl clocked-in at 24:57.0. The men’s sit-ski division was won by Russia’s Irek Zaripov with a time of 24:31.0.

    Six-time Paralympic medallist, Colette Bourgonje of Saskatoon, rounded out the Canadian charge. The six-time Paralympian finished sixth in her first race of the season after posting a time of 14:11.2 in an extremely tight women’s five-kilometre sit-ski race.

    Liudmila Vauchok, of Belarus, won the women’s sit-ski race with a time of 13:48.0.

    Canada’s Brian McKeever Wins Back-to-Back Gold at IPC Cross Country Skiing World Championships

    Khanty Mansiysk, RUS—Canada’s Brian McKeever remained perfect after battling through challenging conditions to win the men’s visually impaired distance race at the IPC Cross-Country Skiing World Championships in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia on Monday.

    With changing conditions challenging the best wax technicians, McKeever, of Canmore, Alta., and his new guide in childhood friend Erik Carleton, powered through the five centimetres of new snow and challenging winds to win the men’s 20-kilometre classic-ski race with a time of 53 minutes, 26.7 seconds.

    “That was a hard race today,” said the 31-year-old McKeever. “We were behind after the second lap, but I wasn’t too worried because I felt like I still had something left in the tank and our skis were running well.”

    McKeever and Carleton cranked up the tempo in the third of four laps where he bettered the Russian team by 30 seconds to take the lead, and never looked back. Russia’s Nikolay Polukhin and Andrey Tokarev won the silver for the second-straight day with a time of 54:10.0. Russia’s Alexei Toropov and Sergey Maksimov locked up third spot at 58:42.2.

    “The wax techs did a great job on the skis keeping us in the hunt for the medals today,” said McKeever. Erik skied really strong, keeping me out of the winds for aslong as possible which allowed me to have the energy for the final two laps.”

    Jody Barber, of Smithers, B.C., had another solid finish in the women’s standing 15-kilometre classic-ski race. Barber, who has won five World Cup medals throughout her career, clocked a time of 57:24.4. Oleksandra Kononova, of the Ukraine, won the women’s standing division after clocking-in at 50:43.1.

    Mark Arendz, of Springton, P.E.I., who finished second overall in the men’s standing biathlon IPC World Cup this year, finished 10th in the men’s 20-kilometre classic-ski standing race. The 21-year-old, who was fourth in the opening pursuit race at the IPC World Championships, clocked a time of 1:01:33.1.

    The men’s standing category was won by Russia’s Kirill Mikhaylov with a time of 53:53.0.

    Canadian Para-Nordic Sit Skiers Make History Winning Double Gold at IPC World Championships

    Khanty Mansiysk, RUS—For the first time in the history of Para-Nordic skiing, Canada swept the golden step of the podium in men’s and women’s sit-ski racing at the IPC World Championships with Colette Bourgonje and Chris Klebl capturing the title ofWorld Champion in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia on Tuesday.

    Saskatoon’s Bourgonje, who was a double silver medallist at the 2003 World Championships, captured her first world title after leading wire-to-wire in the women’s 10-kilometre sit-ski category with a time of 26 minutes, 56.0 seconds.

    Bourgonje is one of the most successful athletes in the Canadian Para-Nordic program. An eight-time Paralympian in both the summer and winter Games, Bourgonje has eight medals under her belt including two from the 2010 Paralympics where she won a bronze and silver medal. Bourgonje was also awarded the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award at the Vancouver Paralymipcs – a prestigious award recognizing individuals who conquer adversities through the pursuit of excellence in sport.

    Bourgonje was joined on the podium by Liudmila Vauchok, of Belarus, who finished second with a time of 27:05.7, and Germany’s Andrea Eskau, who locked up the bronze medal after clocking-in at 27:49.6.

    The golden trail to the podium continued for Canada in the men’s 15-kilometre sit-ski event. Klebl, who moved to Canmore, Alta. to join the Canucks from the United States this year, also led wire-to-wire to capture his first international title. A two-time Paralympian, Klebl set the time to beat at 35:34.6.

    “To win at this level you need everything to come together with favourable courses, fast skis and great performances,” said Robin McKeever, coach, Canadian Para-Nordic Team. “Today, we had it all. It is one of the most successful days in the history of our program.”

    Klebl, who grew up in Austria where he skied and snowboarded became paralyzed from the waist down in 1995 in a snowboarding accident. Hestarted competing in cross-country skiing in 2005, and finished fourth overall on the World Cup in 2011 with one World Cup bronze medal.

    Klebl was joined on the podium by Russia’s Irek Zaripov who grabbed the silver with a time of 35:43.6 and Italy’s Enzo Masiello in the bronze-medal position at 36:15.7.

    Tuesday’s performances have added to a golden week for Canada’s para-nordic athletes. In addition to a handful of fourth-place finishes, Canada’s Para-Nordic squad have racked up four gold medals at the mid-way point of the 2011 IPC World Championships.