Canada's Para alpine skiers, young and experienced, look ahead to Milan Cortina
Oatway, Guimond's presence help usher in a new chapter as Paralympics approach
Kurt Oatway wasn't surprised when he saw just a strip of snow on the slope for the FIS Para alpine world championships in Maribor, Slovenia.
While the able-bodied FIS alpine world championships went perfectly in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, the Para worlds had more than a few rocky moments just over one year before the Milan-Cortina Paralympic Games.
"We saw the webcams, and there was very little snow," Oatway, 40, said.
"The organizing committee and FIS representative who was working through it said the snow control is good, and the program was confirmed ... But as soon as we get there, it's downhill cancelled, and we're like, 'yeah, no kidding.'"
It's a stark difference between the competitions organized by FIS, the world skiing governing body. In 2022, FIS took control of Para alpine from the International Paralympic Committee, which previously ran World Cup events.
The world championships were initially scheduled to occur in the experienced venue of Bardonecchia, Italy, but organizers pulled out, leaving FIS to find an alternative solution.
WATCH | IPC boss says Paralympics leaving lasting legacy:
Canadians won three silver medals in the giant slalom and slalom, with visually impaired skier Kalle Ericsson and guide Sierra Smith reaching the podium alongside standing athlete Alexis Guimond.
"The sport can sometimes be difficult with weather, but I was lucky we got the GS race, and I got silver. It's looking up for the rest of the season too," Guimond, 25, said. "FIS is pretty new [at organizing para events], but they're open to listening to the athletes, which is good, and that's a big change in a good direction.
Oatway and Guimond are both veterans. They both landed on the podium at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympics — Oatway in super-G and Guimond in GS. Guimond repeated that performance at Beijing 2022, but an injury kept Oatway out of the Games.
Since both made their Paralympic debuts in 2018, little has changed at the World Cup level. Outside of France, which, according to Oatway, has improved its Para Alpine events extensively, many competitions remain without the simple necessities.
"The world championship did meet our expectations in terms of strong performances by all athletes on well-prepared courses," FIS said in a statement to CBC Sports. "The cancellation of speed disciplines was, of course, disappointing, but athlete safety remains our top priority."
"FIS is in the process of securing or has already secured LOCs for the 2027, 2029, and 2031 Para alpine world championships. The event-planning process is now fully integrated within FIS, ensuring Para Snow Sports receives the same structured approach as able-bodied disciplines."
Ericsson, 20, and Smith, 23, are in their second World Cup season and are looking ahead to their first Paralympics. However, they took the less-than-ideal world championship situation in stride.
"It was a really big game of patience," Smith said. "But we got two off, and they went super well. I'm so happy that we could, you know, stay strong through the unfortunate cancellations.
FIS did not respond to CBC Sports' request for comment on the Para Alpine organization before publication.
Paralympics one year out
Despite concerns about the sport's organization at the World Cup level, Milan Cortina is approaching quickly for a Canadian team featuring medal contenders.
Skiers will compete in the Games on the Olympia delle Tofane in Cortina d'Ampezzo, a typical track for the women's FIS Alpine World Cup.
Guimond and Oatway have thrived on it before.
"It's going to be just an amazing feeling to be on that and that track. The prep on it is world-class, and we rarely get an opportunity like that to ski on such a famous hill," Guimond said, with him and Oatway having podiumed in the men's super-G and downhill races in the track's test event in 2024.
Added Oatway, who hopes for a Paralympic return: "It's a long track, and there's a couple of steep sections, and a nice little jump that will keep you on your toes ... it's technical and fast, which should lead me in the right direction."
This season has been exceptional, too, setting the stage for the Games a year from now.
Oatway sits third overall in the sitting World Cup standings, with nine podiums in 2024-25, while Guimond has three podiums. Ericsson and Smith, still early in their partnership, are fifth in men's visually impaired eight podiums and won their first race in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in giant slalom in February.
Young pair still learning
While Guimond and Oatway lead as veterans, Ericsson and Smith are still developing and looking to become the top visually impaired Canadian skiers after six-time Paralympic medallist Mac Marcoux retired.
"We have a lot of trust in one another when we're doing this," Ericsson said, first competing with Smith at the 2023 Canada Games. "I think that just having good communication and trusting in one another is something that's really important to how successful we've been."
Despite challenges, they're both looking forward to the coming year leading to Milan Cortina, especially after their success at the abbreviated world championships.
"I'm just really happy right now where Para Alpine skiing is at," he added. "Wearing that maple leaf on the back and skiing for such a great nation [at the Paralympics] is something I'd really be looking forward to."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
