Ottawa Sierra Smith has had quite the introduction to Paralympic sport. Competing as guide to visually impaired Para alpine skier Kalle Eriksson at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics, Smith helped her partner to a bronze medal in the men visually impaired slalom on Sunday, their third podium finish of these Games.
The pair posted a combined time of 1:31.26 across two runs at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d'Ampezzo, good enough for third in one of the most demanding disciplines in adaptive alpine skiing.
A Remarkable Debut
For both Eriksson and Smith, these are their first Paralympic Games, and what a debut it has been. Their medal haul at Milano-Cortina:
- Silver in downhill
- Bronze in super-G
- Bronze in slalom
Three medals at your first Paralympics is extraordinary, let alone for a guide-skier pair navigating visually impaired alpine racing.
The Duo Behind the Results
Eriksson, from Kimberley, B.C., and Smith, based in Ottawa, began competing together in 2022. The two are also romantic partners, a dynamic Smith says strengthens their communication on the mountain.
Their off-slope training is unconventional: the pair use mountain biking, rock climbing, and even line dancing to sharpen the synchronized movement and trust that racing together demands.
Eriksson was candid about the pressure heading into Sunday slalom, saying he was a little worried after missing the podium earlier in the Games. His final-run strategy was simply to go out and have fun, and it worked.
What Next
With 22 career World Cup medals across three seasons and world championship silver in both slalom and giant slalom, Eriksson and Smith are just getting started. Ottawa should be proud.
Source: CBC Sports
