combined. “I was very nervous going into it. I just really put
my trust in my husband because I had a stress attack at the
top. I was stressing up at the top, just because of the pressure
because I don’t finish slaloms very often. It was really nice to
finally finish a slalom and actually get third when I did.”
In the men’s visually impaired category, American Mark
Bathum won a silver medal in the downhill. He finished with
a time of 1: 18. 63, only 0.40 seconds behind the winner.
Defending women’s standing slalom gold medalist Allison
Jones, who also competes as a cyclist in the Paralympic Sum-
mer Games, finished fifth in this year’s slalom and ninth in the
giant slalom.
Much like at the Olympic Winter Games, the U.S. was shut
out of the medals in the cross country disciplines. The Ameri-
can men’s team saw their best day come early at the 15K sit-
ting race when Chris Klebl, Sean Halsted and biathlon bronze
medalist Andy Soule finished 8-9-10. Women’s standing cross
country athlete Kelly Underkofler had her best finish in the
15k free in eighth place.
Led by Woolstencroft, the Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team
won 12 medals. Visually impaired racer Viviane Forest and her
guide, Lindsay Debou, also medaled in all five disciplines, net-
ting silvers in the slalom, super G and super combined; gold in
the downhill; and bronze in the giant slalom.
“I am so pleased right now, I accomplished my goal and my
dream came true,” said Forest. “I knew I could do it but I have
to say when I injured myself, I started doubting it a little bit.
But I managed to stay strong and Lindsay [Debou] and I did
it. I have to thank all the coaches and staff because without
them I would not be where I am right now.”
Fellow Canadian standing skier Karolina Wisiniewska
earned slalom and super combined bronze medals.
Visually impaired cross country skier Brian McKeever, who
made history by becoming the first Canadian athlete named
to both the Olympic and Paralympic teams, had a streak of
his own at the Whistler Paralympic Park. He won the 20K
free, 10K classic and sprint races with his older brother, Robin
McKeever, as his guide. (Brian suffers from Stargaard’s dis-
ease, a genetic disease that reduces his central vision.)
Canadian sitting cross country racer Colette Bourgonje, who
competed on the national level in cross-country running be-
fore a car accident left her with a spinal cord injury, won a
silver medal in the 20K and a bronze in the 5K at 48 years
old. She also has four bronze medals from summer Paralym-
pic sports.
German athletes Martin Braxenthaler, a sit-skier, and Gerd
Rob Umstead leads his wife
Umstead to a bronze medal i
super combined.
