Ruslan Reiter of United States competes in the Cross-Country Skiing 4x2.5km Mixed Relay during day nine of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games.
The sports world came to a halt in the aftermath of COVID-19, but with the worldwide return to action, the U.S. Paralympic Nordic Skiing Team is looking get back to snow as soon as possible.
The 2021 World Para Nordic Championships are set for February 11-20 in Lillehammer, Norway.
All seven skiers on the national team competed at the Winter Games in PyeongChang in 2018 and while athletes like Oksana Masters and Dan Cnossen are looking to repeat their Paralympic success, several others are on the brink of a breakout performance.
Here’s four faces to watch from the national team this year.
Aaron Pike
The Paralympian out of Park Rapids, Minnesota started his career in wheelchair racing at the University of Illinois-Champaign alongside Tatyana McFadden before adding winter sports to his resume after the London Games. He’s been on the national team since 2013.
Pike was set to compete at the 2020 World Para Biathlon Championships in Östersund, Switzerland this year before it’s cancellation, but he’ll be working to make a strong appearance at the World Championships in February.
The 2021 World Para Nordic Championships are set for February 11-20 in Lillehammer, Norway.
All seven skiers on the national team competed at the Winter Games in PyeongChang in 2018 and while athletes like Oksana Masters and Dan Cnossen are looking to repeat their Paralympic success, several others are on the brink of a breakout performance.
Here’s four faces to watch from the national team this year.
Aaron Pike
The Paralympian out of Park Rapids, Minnesota started his career in wheelchair racing at the University of Illinois-Champaign alongside Tatyana McFadden before adding winter sports to his resume after the London Games. He’s been on the national team since 2013.
Pike was set to compete at the 2020 World Para Biathlon Championships in Östersund, Switzerland this year before it’s cancellation, but he’ll be working to make a strong appearance at the World Championships in February.
Ruslan Reiter
Reiter was the youngest member of the 2018 U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing Team and was moved up from the development team this year. He’s the only standing skier on the current national team.
He took the seventh-place spot in the mixed 4x2.5-kilometer cross country in PyeongChang and finished outside the top ten in three other competitions. The cross-country skier and biathlete will look to continue his progress in the next year.
Reiter was the youngest member of the 2018 U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing Team and was moved up from the development team this year. He’s the only standing skier on the current national team.
He took the seventh-place spot in the mixed 4x2.5-kilometer cross country in PyeongChang and finished outside the top ten in three other competitions. The cross-country skier and biathlete will look to continue his progress in the next year.
Grace Miller
One half of the development team, Miller already has Paralympic experience. The 20-year-old skier finished outside the top 10 in two of her three races at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.
Miller is starting her junior year at University of Alaska Fairbanks, and while college competitions have been cancelled, she’s using the year to prepare for the next Winter Paralympics in Beijing.
One half of the development team, Miller already has Paralympic experience. The 20-year-old skier finished outside the top 10 in two of her three races at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.
Miller is starting her junior year at University of Alaska Fairbanks, and while college competitions have been cancelled, she’s using the year to prepare for the next Winter Paralympics in Beijing.
Joy Rondeau
Rondeau picked up adaptive skiing in 2014 after a wheelchair rugby injury and quickly made her international debut in 2016. Now she’s training as a member of the development team.
She gained valuable experience in her Paralympic debut at the Winter Games in PyeongChang but is focused to break out in the next year competing with full health.
Rondeau picked up adaptive skiing in 2014 after a wheelchair rugby injury and quickly made her international debut in 2016. Now she’s training as a member of the development team.
She gained valuable experience in her Paralympic debut at the Winter Games in PyeongChang but is focused to break out in the next year competing with full health.
