Kalle
Eriksson

Kalle Eriksson and his guide Sierra Smith have established themselves as true medal contenders in men’s visually impaired Para alpine for the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina.

They showed their rookie season was no fluke in 2024-25. Top results included 10 medals on the World Cup circuit including two victories, both in giant slalom and two silver medals at the shortened world championships in Maribor, Slovenia.

Eriksson had undergone knee surgery and was also healing a shoulder injury in the off-season.

In their rookie season on the FIS World Cup circuit in 2023-24, the pair emerged as the heirs apparent to Mac Marcoux, who retired after the 2022 Paralympic Games as Canada’s most successful visually impaired Para alpine skier.

They posted their first World Cup victory on February 1, 2024 in slalom and ranked third overall on the circuit in the giant slalom.

In 2022, he decided to “embrace my disability” and started ski racing. He immediately fell in love with the sport.

Soon after Eriksson joined forces with his guide Sierra Smith, a former women’s national Canadian ski team member.

The skiers communicate through a two-way headset, with the guide sending cues while in full flight to keep the partner on course.

They shocked themselves with their fast improvement and chemistry as a team. In their competitive debut at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in P.E.I. they won gold in the giant slalom.

Eriksson already knew all about the Para alpine skiing world before his accident. His father is Lasse Eriksson, a national team Para alpine skiing coach with Team Canada for the past 17 years.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Two silver medals at the 2025 World Championships…

PERSONAL

Ericsson started to lose his vision three years ago from a rare case of solar retinopathy while skiing on a glacier in northern Sweden…

NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

2025 World Championships slalom 2nd
2025 World Championships giant slalom 2nd