Team of eight Para alpine skiers nominated to represent Canada at Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games Français
- Paralympic medallists Mollie Jepsen, Alexis Guimond, and Kurt Oatway lead team
- 2026 Paralympic Winter Games take place March 6-15 in Italy
OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 23, 2026 /CNW/ - Eight Para alpine skiers have been nominated to compete for Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Alpine Canada announced Monday.
Milano Cortina 2026 Canadian Paralympic Team – PARA ALPINE SKIING
- Florence Carrier – Sherbrooke, QC
- Kalle Eriksson – Kimberley, BC
- Michaela Gosselin – Collingwood, ON
- Alexis Guimond – Gatineau, QC
- Mollie Jepsen – West Vancouver, BC
- Kurt Oatway – Calgary, AB
- Brian Rowland – Merrickville, ON
- Sierra Smith (guide for Kalle Eriksson) – Ottawa, ON
Mollie Jepsen and Alexis Guimond are both set for their third consecutive Games appearances. Jepsen, competing in the women's standing category, holds the most medals on the team, with six (two gold, two silver, and two bronze). She earned four podiums in her debut in 2018 and two more in 2022.
"I am so excited to be competing in my third Games," said Jepsen. "The last few years have been some of the most difficult I've ever experienced and I'm so proud of myself, and grateful for everyone who has been supporting me.
"For me these Games are different. Having achieved my lifelong goal of becoming a Paralympic champion in downhill in Beijing in 2022, I want to enjoy these Games and the experience. I want to be present and take everything in. In the past I've been so narrowly focused on winning I forgot to appreciate all it took to even get to the Games and the accomplishment that is in itself."
Guimond, also a co-captain of the Milano Cortina 2026 Canadian Paralympic Team, is a two-time medallist. Competing in the men's standing classification, he took home a bronze at each of his Games appearances.
"It's exciting to be going to my third consecutive Paralympics, I'm enamoured by the Paralympic dream," said Guimond. "I'm going into these Games with confidence, focus, experience and grit. I am honoured to represent my country, as well as my fellow teammates as their co-captain, and am tremendously proud of what we were able to accomplish as a team in the last four years."
Two other skiers are returning from the 2022 Games roster – Michaela Gosselin (women's standing) and Brian Rowland (men's sitting), while Kurt Oatway, a gold medallist in the men's sitting super-G in 2018, is making his comeback to the Paralympic stage after injury prevented him from competing four years ago.
Florence Carrier (women's standing) alongside Kalle Eriksson and guide Sierra Smith (men's visually impaired) will be making their Paralympic debuts.
"Competing for Canada at my first Paralympics is such an incredible honour, I couldn't be prouder to wear the maple leaf and race for it," said Eriksson. "This journey has taken years of hard work, sacrifice, growth and belief, and now I get to carry all of that onto the world stage for Canada. The stakes are higher at the Games, and everyone will be pushing their limits. That level of intensity makes for an exciting, hard-fought race and I can't wait to be part of it."
Para alpine skiing is Canada's most successful sport at the Paralympic Winter Games with 115 medals, dating back to the first edition of the Games in 1976. The team won six medals at the most recent Games in 2022, and 10 back at PyeongChang 2018.
The athletes will be joined in Italy by a support staff led by high performance director Matt Hallat (a three-time Paralympian in Para alpine skiing) and head coach Will Marshall.
Head Coach – Will Marshall
High Performance Director – Matt Hallat
Coach – Lasse Eriksson
Coach – Frederic Deslongchamps
Team Technician – Todd Cuthbert
Team Technician – AJ Hoelke
Team Physiotherapist – Jenny Dea
Team Physiotherapist – John Roberts
Medical – Dr. Warren Thirsk
Strength & Conditioning – Laura Strenger
Para alpine skiing competition will take place throughout the Games at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d'Ampezzo:
March 7: Downhill
March 9: Super-G
March 10: Alpine Combined
March 12: Women's Giant Slalom
March 13: Men's Giant Slalom
March 14: Women's Slalom
March 15: Men's Slalom
"I am incredibly honoured to welcome our Para alpine athletes to the roster and officially round out Canada's Paralympic Team for Milano Cortina 2026," said Mac Marcoux, honorary captain, Milano Cortina 2026 Canadian Paralympic Team. "This announcement is especially meaningful to me, as I have had the privilege of training and competing alongside many of these remarkable athletes, and I truly consider this team a second family.
"Watching this group build such strong momentum throughout the season has been so exciting, and I cannot wait to cheer them on – loud and proud – from the finish area in Cortina in just a few short weeks."
The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will take place March 6-15, 2026 and feature athletes competing in six sports – Para alpine skiing, Para ice hockey, Para nordic skiing (Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing), Para snowboard, and wheelchair curling. Canada is expecting to send a team of approximately 50 athletes.
CLICK HERE to see the complete list of athletes currently nominated to the Canadian Paralympic Team.
Prior to being officially named to the Canadian Paralympic Team, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Paralympic Committee. The approved final roster will be announced closer to the start of the Games.
About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca
About Alpine Canada: AlpineCanada.org
SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships)
MEDIA CONTACTS: Brianne Leeman, Milano Cortina 2026 Media Attaché, Para Alpine Skiing, [email protected] / 587-999-4241; Nicole Watts, Senior Manager, Communications & PR, Canadian Paralympic Committee, [email protected] / 613-462-2700
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