The United States sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A total of 50 U.S. competitors took part in all five sports. The American delegation included five former members of the U.S. military, including a veteran of the Iraq War (Heath Calhoun) and a veteran of the War in Afghanistan (Andy Soule).
The United States finished sixth in the gold medal and fifth in the total medal count. U.S. coverage of the 2010 Paralympic Games was provided primarily by the Universal Sports Television Network.
Disability classifications Every participant at the Paralympics had their disability grouped into one of five disability categories; amputation, the condition may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis. Each Paralympic sport then had its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events were given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing. Events with "B" in the code were for athletes with visual impairment, codes LW1 to LW9 were for athletes who stood to compete, and LW10 to LW12 were for athletes who competed sitting down. In biathlon events, which contained a target shooting component, blind and visually impaired athletes were able to compete through the use of acoustic signals, whose signal intensity varied dependent upon whether or not the athlete was on target.
Medalists
The following American athletes won medals at the games; all dates are for March 2010. In the 'by discipline' sections below, medalists' names are in bold.
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Medal Name Sport Event Date Alpine skiing Women's downhill, sitting March 18 Alpine skiing Women's giant slalom, sitting March 16 Alpine skiing Women's super combined, sitting March 20 United States national ice sledge hockey team Ice sledge hockey Ice sledge hockey March 20 Guide: Slater Storey Alpine skiing Men's downhill, visually impaired March 18 Alpine skiing Women's super-G, sitting March 19 Alpine skiing Women's downhill, sitting March 18 Alpine skiing Women's slalom, sitting March 14 Alpine skiing Women's giant slalom, sitting March 16 Alpine skiing Women's super combined, sitting March 20 Alpine skiing Women's downhill, visually impaired March 18 Guide: Rob Umstead Alpine skiing Women's super combined, visually impaired March 20 Biathlon Men's 2.4 km pursuit, sitting March 13 | width="22%" align="left" valign="top" |
+ Medals by sportSport Total Alpine skiing 3 5 3 11 Biathlon 0 0 1 1 Cross-country skiing 0 0 0 0 Ice sledge hockey 1 0 0 1 Wheelchair curling 0 0 0 0
+ Multiple medalistsNameSport Total Alana Nichols Alpine skiing 2 1 1 4 Stephani Victor Alpine skiing 1 2 0 3 Danelle Umstead Alpine skiing 0 0 2 2
Alpine skiing
On February 26, 2010, U.S. Paralympics nominated a team of 14 men and 10 women (plus three guides) to compete in alpine skiing.
MenAlpine Skiing Schedule and Results , The Official Website of the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver AthleteEventClassRun 1Run 2Final/TotalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankMark BathumGuide: Slater StoreyDownhill, visually impairedB 3N/A1:18.63Giant slalom, visually impairedB 3Disqualified--Slalom, visually impairedB 353.0491:17.41112:10.4511Super combined, visually impairedB 3Super-G Did not finish--Super-G, visually impairedB 3N/A1:23.054Carl BurnettGiant slalom, sittingLW 111:27.05161:29.40152:56.4514Slalom, sittingLW 1153.991859.2891:53.279Super combined, sittingLW 11Super-G 1:37.9515Slalom 53.1082:31.0512Super-G, sittingLW 11N/Adid not finishHeath CalhounSlalom, sittingLW 12–2did not finish--Super-G, sittingLW 12–2N/A1:24.778Super combined, sittingLW 12–2Super-G 1:23.664Slalom 55.33112:18.9910Nicholas CatanzariteGiant slalom, sittingLW 10–11:50.92341:46.76233:37.6823Super-G, sittingLW 10–1N/Adid not finishChristopher Devlin-YoungDownhill, sittingLW 12–1N/A1:22.6513Giant slalom, sittingLW 12–11:24.9612did not finish--Slalom, sittingLW 12–154.0519did not finish--Super combined, sittingLW 12–1Super-G 1:24.016Slalom 52.7072:16.717Super-G, sittingLW 12–1N/A1:21.004Ralph GreenGiant slalom, standingLW 21:23.97301:24.99292:48.9629Slalom, standingLW 258.112258.67241:56.7822Super-G, standingLW 2N/ADisqualifiedGerald HaydenGiant slalom, sittingLW 12–11:27.3218did not finish--Slalom, sittingLW 12–150.6181:06.43221:57.0416Ian JansingGiant slalom, standingLW 9–21:23.49281:29.30342:52.7932Monte MeierDownhill, standingLW 2N/A1:28.4822Slalom, standingLW 255.311053.9841:49.298Super combined, standingLW 2Super-G 1:33.0716Slalom 51.1372:24.2014Super-G, standingLW 2N/A1:31.9127George SansonetisDownhill, standingLW 9–2N/A1:28.4721Giant slalom, standingLW 9–21:22.94261:22.48262:45.4227Slalom, standingLW 9–2Disqualified--Super-G, standingLW 9–2N/A1:35.7431Joseph TompkinsDownhill, sittingLW 11N/Adid not finishTyler WalkerDownhill, sittingLW 12–1N/Adid not finishGiant slalom, sittingLW 12–11:27.07171:35.49183:02.5616Slalom, sittingLW 12–153.24141:00.10131:53.3410Super-G, sittingLW 12–1N/A1:29.2822Bradley WashburnDownhill, standingLW 4N/A1:26.4014Giant slalom, standingLW 41:16.97171:17.88162:34.8516Slalom, standingLW 454.82854.79101:49.619Super-G, standingLW 4N/A1:27.9317John WhitneyGiant slalom, standingLW 21:23.67291:23.50282:47.1728Slalom, standingLW 259.612757.68221:57.2923Super-G, standingLW 2N/A1:32.9728
Women AthleteEventClassRun 1Run 2Final/TotalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankAllison JonesDownhill, standingLW 2N/A1:32.326Giant slalom, standingLW 21:23.0771:29.19132:52.269Slalom, standingLW 21:01.1271:00.0742:01.195Super combined, standingLW 2Super-G 1:38.078Slalom 58.6622:36.735Super-G, standingLW 2N/A1:38.849Ricci KilgoreGiant slalom, sittingLW 12–11:40.4791:36.9773:17.446Slalom, sittingLW 12–11:18.648Disqualified--Luba LoweryGiant slalom, sittingLW 12–21:41.06101:45.2493:26.309Slalom, sittingLW 12–21:20.4891:23.0182:43.497Alana NicholsDownhill, sittingLW 11N/A1:23.31Giant slalom, sittingLW 111:28.0411:29.5312:57.57Slalom, sittingLW 111:31.07111:15.3452:46.418Super combined, sittingLW 11Super-G 1:40.582Slalom 1:06.9652:47.54Super-G, sittingLW 11N/A1:36.68Hannah PenningtonGiant slalom, standingLW 3–21:40.82161:37.58153:18.4015Slalom, standingLW 3–21:12.93171:11.31162:24.2416Caitlyn SarubbiGuide: Gwynn WatkinsDownhill, visually impairedB 3N/Adid not finishGiant slalom, visually impairedB 3Super-G 1:44.5710Slalom 1:39.0563:23.626Slalom, visually impairedB 31:05.107did not finish –Super combined, visually impairedB 31:57.5361:04.4943:02.026Super-G, visually impairedB 3N/A1:50.338Laurie StephensDownhill, sittingLW 12–1N/A1:28.26Giant slalom, sittingLW 12–11:34.5641:34.6053:09.165Slalom, sittingLW 12–11:09.9661:18.9362:28.895Super combined, sittingLW 12–1Super-G 1:46.795Slalom 1:06.2232:53.015Super-G, sittingLW 12–1N/A1:38.384Elitsa StoreyDownhill, standingLW 2N/Adid not startGiant slalom, standingLW 2did not finish--Slalom, standingLW 21:09.7615did not start--Danelle UmsteadGuide: Rob UmsteadDownhill, visually impairedB 2N/A1:30.18Giant slalom, visually impairedB 21:37.9072:03.7483:41.648Slalom, visually ImpairedB 2did not finish--Super combined, visually impairedB 2Super-G 1:41.703Slalom 1:07.0562:48.75Super-G, visually impairedB 2N/A1:40.624Stephani VictorDownhill, sittingLW 12–2N/A1:36.994Giant slalom, sittingLW 12–21:29.4921:32.2933:01.78Slalom, sittingLW 12–21:04.5711:08.0622:12.63Super combined, sittingLW 12–2Super-G 1:38.461Slalom 1:02.2512:40.71Super-G, sittingLW 12–2N/A1:40.366
Biathlon
Two U.S. competitors participated in the biathlon. Both are also members of the U.S. cross-country skiing team. Andy Soule, a veteran of the War in Afghanistan, won the bronze medal in men's 2.4 km sitting pursuit on the opening day of the Paralympics, becoming the first American to win a biathlon medal in the either the Olympic or the Paralympic Winter Games.
AthleteEventsClassFactor %QualificationFinalCalculated timeMissed shotsResultRankCalculated timeMissed shotsResultRank Andy SouleMen's 2.4 km Pursuit, sitting LW12 100 8:38.48 0+0 8:38.48 3 Q 1+0 10:53.01 Men's 12.4 km, sitting LW12 100 N/A 44:26.2 0+0+0+0 44:26.2 4 Kelly UnderkoflerWomen's 3km Pursuit, standing LW8 97 11:40.43 1+0 12:00.43 8 Q 1+0 14:39.00 9Women's 12.5 km, standing LW8 97 N/A 49:44.1 1+1+0+0 51:44.1 9
Cross-country skiing
The cross-country skiing team consists of four men and two women. Two of the skiers, Andy Soule and Kelly Underkofler, will also be competing in the biathlon.
Calculated time To ensure a fair event when athletes with differing disabilities compete, times achieved were sometimes modified by a percentage rate, to produce a result known as "Calculated Time". It is this time that decided the result of the races, and is listed below. Where this differs from the real time recorded, real time is also listed.
Men AthleteEventsClassFactor %QualificationSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankSean Halsted1 km sprint sittingLW11.598CT: 2:18.72RT: 2:21.5510did not advance1010km sittingLW11.5N/ACT: 28:35.8RT: 29:10.8715km sittingLW11.5N/ACT: 43:25.6RT: 44:18.89Chris Klebl1 km sprint sittingLW1194CT: 2:18.39RT: 2:27.229did not advance910km sittingLW11N/ACT: 29:39.7RT: 31:33.31615km sittingLW11N/ACT: 43:13.7RT: 45:59.38Greg Mallory1 km sprint sittingLW1194CT: 2:21.89RT: 2:30.9518did not advance1810km sittingLW11N/ACT: 30:35.3RT: 32:32.42415km sittingLW11N/ACT: 46:30.6RT: 46:30.626Andy Soule1 km sprint sittingLW121002:19.7711did not advance1110km sittingLW12N/A29:18.71215km sittingLW12N/A43:32.810
Women AthleteEventsClassFactor %QualificationSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankMonica Bascio1 km sprint sittingLW1194CT: 2:43.73RT: 2:54.188 QCT: 2:56.90RT: 3:08.194did not advance85km sittingLW11N/ACT: 16:32.4RT: 17:35.71010km sittingLW11N/ACT: 34:33.9RT: 36:46.39Kelly Underkofler1 km sprint classic standingLW892CT: 4:51.17RT: 5:16.49did not advance135km classic standingLW8N/ACT: 18:37.2RT: 20:14.31015km free standingLW8N/ACT: 58:19.6RT: 1:00:07.88
Key RT = real time CT = calculated time
Ice sledge hockey
The U.S. qualified for sledge hockey (also known as sled hockey) at the 2010 Paralympics by winning the 2009 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships. USA Hockey nominated the 15-member sledge hockey team on December 15, 2009, pending approval by the United States Olympic Committee. With a win over Japan in the gold medal game on March 20, 2010, the U.S. captured its second-ever gold medal in the sport. The team did not allow a goal in the tournament, outscoring its opponents by a total of 19 to 0. Alexi Salamone, born with deformed legs due to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and later adopted by an American family, was the leading scorer for the U.S. with four goals and eight points in five games.
Squad listGroup stage (Pool A)SemifinalFinalOppositionResultRankOppositionResultOppositionResultRankFrom: Mike Blabac Steve Cash Taylor Chace Jimmy Connelly Brad Emmerson Joseph Howard Tim Jones Nikko Landeros Taylor Lipsett Adam Page Josh Pauls Alexi Salamone Greg Shaw Bubba Torres Andy Yohe (captain) Head coach: Ray MalutaW 5–01 QW 3–0W 2–0W 3–0W 6–0
Wheelchair curling
The U.S. team qualified for the 2010 Paralympic wheelchair curling tournament based on their performance in the 2007, 2008, and 2009 World Wheelchair Curling Championships. After two straight losses in the playoff round, the team finished in fourth place.
Team The team is as follows:
Skip: Augusto Perez Third: Patrick McDonald Second: James Pierce Lead: Jacqui Kapinowski Alternate: James Joseph Coach: Steve Brown
Standings CountrySkipWL 7 2 7 2 6 3 5 4 5 4 3 6 3 6 3 6 3 6 3 6
Round robin results The United States finished with a 7–2 win–loss record, in second place.