OTTAWA – With just over a year to go until the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, the Para alpine skiing and Para biathlon world championships get underway this week in Slovenia.
Veteran Kurt Oatway of Calgary leads a powerful five-member Canadian squad at the Para alpine skiing worlds which have now been delayed to later this week due to poor snow conditions.
Organizers announced Tuesday that the downhill, Super G and combined have all been cancelled.
The slalom and giant slalom are currently scheduled to run from Saturday to Tuesday.
”Following the course setting and team inspections, teams provided feedback to the Jury, expressing concerns that the course posed significant challenges for sitting athletes and could lead to unsafe conditions. Based on this feedback, the Jury decided to cancel the event,” FIS Snowsports posted on Instagram.
This season on the World Cup circuit, Oatway has posted three gold, three silver and a bronze at four stops so far in the sitting events. The 2018 Paralympic Games downhill champion victories this winter were in the Super G (twice) and the downhill.
Kalle Ericsson of Kimberley, B.C., and his guide Sierra Smith of Ottawa (1-1-4) as well as women’s standing skier Michaela Gosselin of Collingwood, Ont., (2-2-2) have collected six medals this season at three World Cup events.
Two-time Paralympic medallist Alexis Guimond of Gatineau, Que., has added three medals in men’s standing (0-2-1) at two World Cups.
The worlds run until February 11.
Canadians medal favorites at Para biathlon worlds
It also looks promising for Canada’s four entries at the Para biathlon worlds which go Thursday to Sunday in Pokljuka, Slovenia.
It’s the first of two world championships for the Para nordic skiers this month. The Para cross country worlds are February 12-14 in Toblach, Italy.
Last week at the Para biathlon World Cup in Val di Fiemme, Italy, the 2026 Games venue for the sport, Canadians collected four gold.
Eleven-time Paralympic Games medallist Mark Arendz of Hartsville, PEI, has four wins in five World Cup Para biathlon men’s standing events overall this season. He has not missed a target.
Paralympians Brittany Hudak of Prince Albert, Sask., Natalie Wilkie of Salmon Arm, B.C., in women’s standing and sit-skier Derek Zaplotinsky of Smoky Lake, Alta., have also all earned World Cup Para biathlon victories this season.