Kalle Eriksson and guide Sierra Smith win Super G bronze

CORTINA, Italy – Kalle Eriksson and his guide Sierra Smith are two-for-two in their Paralympic Winter Games debut, earning a bronze medal Monday morning in the men’s visually impaired Super G Para alpine skiing race.

Johannes Aigner and his guide Nico Haberl of Austria won the gold in one minute and 11.99 seconds, Giacomo Bertagnolli and Andrea Ravelli of Italy took silver in 1:12.15 and the Canadians, who joined forces in late 2022, were third in 1:13.29.

’Two medals is kind of unreal,’’ said Eriksson, 21, from Kimberley, B.C. ‘’I didn’t think we would be able to accomplish that especially in the speed events. I’m really happy with how we are performing. We are consistently going out there and putting it on the line.’’

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Smith says she and her partner knew the drill and were not holding back.

‘’Kalle and I approached today trying to be as prepared as possible,’’ said Smith, a 25-year-old former women’s national team member from Ottawa. ‘’We had a strong game plan going in but I think what took us over the top was going in with a fighting attitude.’’

On Saturday, Eriksson and Smith took silver in the men’s downhill.

In other Canadian results Monday, Michaela Gosselin of Collingwood, Ont., added a ninth place in the women’s standing Super G.

Downhill bronze medallist Kurt Oatway of Calgary did not finish in the men’s sitting Super G. Brian Rowland of Merrickville, Ont., also did not finish. Alexis Guimond of Gatineau, Que., did not finish in the men’s standing Super G.

The Para alpine competition resumes Tuesday with the combined event.