2014-15 alpine skiing season: 19 skiers to watch

With less than 100 days to go until the 2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships take place in Panorama, Canada, from 1-10 March, IPC Alpine Skiing has revealed a list of 19 athletes to watch for the 2014-15 season.

The complete list of athletes have 36 Paralympic and 47 world titles between them and will compete in a season highlighted by a series of IPC Alpine Skiing World, Europa and NORAM Cups, beginning in December in the Aspen Highlands, USA.

Full biographies can be found at the IPC Alpine Skiing website.

North America

Kimberley Joines, Canada, 33, women’s sitting

An eight-time World Championships medallist and Sochi 2014 bronze-medal winner, Joines will be competing on home snow at Panorama 2015.

Mac Marcoux, Canada, 17, men’s visually impaired

Marcoux will return with his guide brother BJ at Panorama 2015 after winning giant slalom gold at Sochi 2014 with Robin Femy.

Laurie Stephens, USA, 30, women’s sitting

Stephens, a former swimming national record holder, is a six-time Paralympic medallist from three Paralympic Winter Games, two of which were gold, and a defending downhill world champion.

Danelle Umstead, USA, 42, women’s visually impaired

Skiing alongside husband guide Rob, Danelle Umstead agonisingly missed out on a World Championships podium four times in the last two attempts, despite having medalled at both Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014.

Europe

Alexey Bugaev, Russia, 17, men’s standing

From double silver at his first World Championships in La Molina, Spain, in 2013 to a medal in every event at Sochi 2014, Bugaev is one of his country's most talented prospects.

Marie Bochet, France, 20, women’s standing

German Andrea Rothfuss’ biggest rival, Bochet won four golds at Sochi 2014 and at La Molina 2013 became the first female para-alpine skier to win gold in all disciplines.

Henrieta Farkasova, Slovakia, 28, women’s visually impaired

Part of a group of gold medal hopes in the women’s visually impaired, Farkasova is a five-time Paralympic champion and reigning downhill and slalom world champion, guided by Natalia Subrtova.

Aleksandra Frantceva, Russia, 27, women’s visually impaired

Frantceva was a triple world champion going into her home Winter Games at Sochi 2014, and picked up her first Paralympic gold medals in slalom and super-combined with guide Pavol Zabotin.

Vincent Gauthier-Manuel, France, 28, men’s standing

Gauthier-Manuel heads out at Panorama 2015 to defend his slalom and giant slalom title in an incredibly competitive men’s standing classification featuring Bugaev, and Austrian Markus Salcher.

Kelly Gallagher, Great Britain, 29, women’s visually impaired

Gallagher and guide Charlotte Evans won Great Britain’s first Paralympic Winter gold medal at Sochi 2014 to add to their double silver and bronze from La Molina 2013.

Jakub Krako, Slovakia, 24, men’s visually impaired

Guided by Martin Motyka, four-time Paralympic champion Krako put an end to a three-year medal drought at Sochi 2014, winning the super-G and finishing second in the giant slalom.

Claudia Loesch, Austria, 26, women’s sitting

Reigning triple world champion Loesch is a seven-time Paralympic medallist and graduate of the very first IPC Alpine Skiing development camp.

Andrea Rothfuss, Germany, 25, women’s standing

A 13-time World Championships medallist, Rothfuss made it onto the top of the Paralympic podium for the first time in her career at Sochi 2014 with gold in the slalom.

Markus Salcher, Austria, 23, men’s standing

The downhill and super-G Paralympic and world champion became an overnight sensation in Austria after winning double gold at Sochi 2014.

Jon Santacana, Spain, 34, men’s visually impaired

Santacana, with guide Miguel Galindo, has returned from injury twice in his career to win gold at two Paralympic Winter Games and seven World Championships titles.

Anna Schaffelhuber, Germany, 21, women’s sitting

Anna Schaffelhuber is one of Germany's most successful para-alpine skiers after winning five gold medals out of five at Sochi 2014.

Oceania

Corey Peters, New Zealand, 31, men’s sitting

Peters really came of age in his career at Sochi 2014, winning his first ever major international medal with silver in the giant slalom.

Asia

Taiki Morii, Japan, 34, men’s sitting

The triple world champion will compete against rival teammate Takeshi Suzuki at Panorama 2015 looking to retain his giant slalom, super-G and super-combined world titles.

Takeshi Suzuki, Japan, 26, men’s sitting

At Sochi 2014, Takeshi Suzuki won his first Paralympic gold medal on the 17th anniversary of the accident in which he lost both his legs.

Details about media accreditation for Panorama 2015 are available at the Panorama 2015 website.

The full 2014-15 IPC Alpine Skiing season calendar can be found at the IPC Alpine Skiing website.