NorAm Cup last stop ahead of alpine Worlds

Nearly 50 skiers from eight countries will compete in downhill and super-combined ahead of the 2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Panorama, Canada. 23 Feb 2015

Women passing a slalom pole on the slopes

Danelle Umstead competes at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympic Games.

Ⓒ© Luc Percival Photography

By IPC

With less than one week to go until the start of the 2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Panorama, Canada, skiers have gathered in the nearby resort of Kimberley for the NorAm Cup in downhill and super-combined, starting on Wednesday (25 February).

Amongst the nearly 50 skiers from eight countries are the Canadian team, looking to put the finishing touches to their preparations for their home World Championships.

Their headliners include Sochi 2014 downhill bronze medallist Mac Marcoux and guide brother BJ in the men’s visually impaired, against Spain’s downhill world and Paralympic champion Jon Santacana and guide Miguel Galindo.

Slovakia’s Jakub Krako, guided by Martin Motyka, and Russian super-combined Paralympic champion Valerii Redkozubov with guide Evgeny Geroev, will also be in contention.

US Sochi 2014 super-combined bronze medallist Danelle Umstead and husband guide Rob will face-off with Australian Melissa Perrine, guided by Andrew Bor in the women’s equivalent.

Japanense men’s downhill sitting Paralympic champion Akira Kano and bronze medallist compatriot Takeshi Suzuki return to the slopes against Canada’s Kurt Oatway, who finished less than one second away from the podium in Sochi.

The women’s event will see the USA’s Laurie Stephens, a downhill bronze medallist from Sochi 2014, take on Japan’s Momoko Muraoka and Australian Victoria Pendergast.

The men’s super-combined standing will feature a trio of Canadians – Kirk Schornstein, Braydon Luscombe and Matt Hallat. Going up against them will be Russian super-combined Paralympic champion Alexey Bugaev.

Bugaev’s Paralympic downhill silver medallist teammate Inga Medvedeva will headline the women’s standing alongside another Russian, Mariia Papulova and Slovakia’s Petra Smarzova.

Both women have made it onto the World Cup podium this season whilst the home crowds will be getting behind Erin Latimer and Alana Ramsey.

Dependant on weather conditions, downhill training will take place in Kimberley on Monday and Tuesday (24 February), ahead of competition on Wednesday (25 February). Super-combined will then be contested on Thursday (26 February).

Live results will be available at www.live-timing.com/races.php.

Panorama 2015 runs from 28 February-10 March and will feature around 130 athletes from 30 countries in the biggest gathering of skiers since Sochi 2014.

Live results and a livestream will be available at www.Panorama2015.com, whilst viewers in the US can watch at www.teamusa.org/US-Paralympics.