(Photo: IPC)
LILLEHAMMER, Norway – Katie Combaluzier is making an impact at her first major competition as the Toronto alpine skier won the silver medal Monday in the women’s sitting super combined at the World Para Snow Sports Championships.
It was the second medal of the event for the national team rookie who turns 28 on Tuesday. She also took bronze in the downhill last Friday. Canada now has eight medals at these championships (four silver and four bronze).
‘’It was really challenging conditions today,’’ said Combaluzier. ‘’It was a super slick surface and there were a lot of appeals and DNFs. So, I’m really happy to have made it down and put up the result.’’
Anna-Lena Forster of Germany won her second gold medal with the fastest time in the Super G and slalom runs ahead of Combaluzier.
Injured in 2018 when she was swept down the mountain by an avalanche while skiing in France, Combaluzier is making her mark this season on international hills. In the World Cup races before Christmas, she won two medals to put her in contention for a spot on the 2022 Paralympic team.
‘’I’m definitely seeing progress every single day,’’ she said. ‘’Today I was feeling super confident pushing out of the start and that really translated into my skiing.’’
The Winter Games are March 4-13 in Beijing and performances at these worlds are helping finalize spots.
In the women’s standing super combined Michaela Gosselin of Collingwood, Ont., was fifth.
These worlds also feature Para nordic skiing (cross country and biathlon) but the Canadian Para nordic team has decided to skip the event and pursue their training at home.
Canada’s Para snowboarders are back in action later this week after winning four medals on Friday.
Alpine skiing resumes Wednesday with the men’s giant slalom.
For more information, please visit the event’s official website at Paralympic.org/lillehammer-2021.
Live streaming of the competition is available via the International Paralympic Committee’s YouTube channel.
