Paralympic Games champion Mollie Jepsen scheduled to return to competition for first time since Beijing 2022

VEYSONNAZ, Switzerland – Six-time Paralympic Games medallist Mollie Jepsen is scheduled to make her return to competition on Thursday at the Para alpine skiing World Cup final in the women’s standing giant slalom.

The 25-year-old from Whistler, who won a gold, silver and two bronze at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in South Korea and a gold in silver at Beijing 2022, has undergone three knee surgeries and an elbow surgery since 2023.

‘’It was just a big goal in my head to be ready for this event,’’ said Jepsen to CPC on Wednesday. ‘’I feel like I’m ripping off another band-aid and taking these steps will help me for next season.

‘’I want to be sure I’ve done everything I can to be at 110 percent for the Games next year.’’

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Jepsen, born missing fingers on her left hand, took a year-off as planned after Beijing to focus on her university degree and be close to her family. Her ACL had been acting up before the Beijing Games and eventually doctors deemed it necessary to operate. In the end three surgeries were necessary.

This past fall she attended a camp in Chile and appeared primed for a full season but she had a cycling accident a few weeks later in the U.S. and shattered her right elbow and left wrist.

‘’I’m pretty nervous about this week,’’ she said. ‘’ It’s been a long two years for me. I feel like the circuit has changed a lot which I’ve only seen from an outside perspective on the sidelines.’’

Canada’s Para alpine skiing head coach Will Marshall is excited to have Jepsen back on the competitive slopes.

‘’We are super positive, we’re going step-by-step with Mollie and we’re getting there,’’ he said. ‘’These first ones this week will be good ones to shake off. We are keeping our expectations in a good place and not focused on results but she’ll be competitive for sure.’’

One of the ways Jepsen has coped with her injuries is detailing her comeback journey on Instagram.

‘’It actually took me about six weeks to post about my bike injury because I was so devastated by it,’’ she admitted. ‘’But I really wanted to be posting on social media. I have a lot of people, especially younger kids, reaching out to me for advice. It’s just a great space to support each other. When you’re injured you have so much taken away from you and connecting with people online is beneficial.’’

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While there were tough days in her recovery, Jepsen wasn’t going to back down.

‘’When your physical health is taken away from you all you want to do is do the things you love,’’ said Jepsen. ‘’I know how difficult this is going to be but I also know how much I love skiing and how important it is to me.’’

Canada is fielding an 11-member team for the World Cup final including Paralympic medallist Alexis Guimond of Gatineau, Que., world championship medallists Kalle Ericsson of Kimberley, B.C., and his guide Sierra Smith of Ottawa and World Cup medallist Michaela Gosselin of Collingwood, Ont.

Giant slalom races are set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday and slalom races are on Sunday and Monday.