Alpine Canada has announced the Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team athletes nominated for selection to compete at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyongChang, South Korea.
Alana Ramsay is from Calgary, Alberta, however she grew up skiing at Kimberley Alpine Resort at the age of six. She has been selected to as a nominee to represent Canada in the Paralympics as a standing skier with cerebral palsy. She will be competing in several events including Down Hill and Super G.
“My family and I would take ski trips to Kimberley when I was growing up, and that’s where I really learned how to ski and first fell in love with skiing,” said Ramsay.
Ramsay got her start in ski racing at Nikiska resort in Alberta, and her first National competition was set for March in 2007, but due to a medical incident she was unable to attend the race. Ramsay says she was excited to get back to Kimberley for the Para Alpine World Cup races that took place from Feb. 9 to 11, 2018. Ramsay currently ranks second overall in the 2017-18 World Cup Season, and was named the female para-athlete of the year at the 2016 Ski Racing Awards.
“This World Cup season has been a challenge, with so many cancelled races, but the ones we did get off I really enjoyed,” said Ramsay. “There was a lot of waiting around, and finding out the races were cancelled in Europe was tough, but finally getting to race on the hill that I grew up on meant a lot.”
Ramsay says her favourite races are DH, however she tends to perform best in ski Slalom.
“I put 100 per cent of my effort into everything that I do,” explained Ramsay, who ranked first overall in the 2016-17 World Cup season. “I love going fast and I love the feeling of flying. There’s no speed limit on ski racing and I love being able to have the freedom to go fast.”
Ramsay is headed to an adrenaline camp in Whistler before flying out to Korea to represent Canada at the PyongChang Paralympics.
“I’m looking forward to not only continuing to push myself in the adrenaline camp but also getting in a bit of relaxation before we head to Korea,” said Ramsay.
Notable Results
2017 IPC World Championships – Super G 2nd
2017 IPC World Championships – downhill – 3rd
2017 IPC World Championships – giant slalom – 3rd
2017 IPC World Championships – super combined – 3rd
2015 IPC World Championships – downhill – 7th
2015 IPC World Championships – giant slalom – 7th
2014 Paralympic Winter Games – slalom - 9th
2014 Paralympic Winter Games – Super G – 10th