Laurie Stephens

Laurie Stephens (born March 5, 1984) is an alpine monoskier who has spina bifida. She has won multiple medals for the United States at the Paralympics.[1] She has also had success at the IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup.

Laurie Stephens
Stephens at the 2013 World Championships
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1984-03-05) March 5, 1984
Wenham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height5 ft 0 in (152 cm)
Weight119 lb (54 kg)
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportPara-alpine skiing
Disability classLW12-1
Event(s)Downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super combined, super-G
Medal record
Women's para-alpine skiing
Representing  United States
Winter Paralympics
Gold medal – first place2006 TurinDownhill, sitting
Gold medal – first place2006 TurinSuper-G, sitting
Silver medal – second place2006 TurinGiant slalom, sitting
Silver medal – second place2010 VancouverDownhill, sitting
Bronze medal – third place2014 SochiDownhill, sitting
Bronze medal – third place2014 SochiSuper-G, sitting
Bronze medal – third place2018 PyeongchangDownhill, sitting
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2013 La MolinaDownhill, sitting
Gold medal – first place2021 LillehammerGiant slalom, sitting
Silver medal – second place2011 SestriereDownhill, sitting
Silver medal – second place2011 SestriereSuper-G, sitting
Silver medal – second place2023 LleidaSuper-G, sitting
Silver medal – second place2023 LleidaAlpine combined, sitting
Silver medal – second place2023 LleidaGiant slalom, sitting
Bronze medal – third place2011 SestriereSuper combined, sitting
Bronze medal – third place2013 La MolinaSuper-G, sitting
Bronze medal – third place2015 PanoramaSuper combined, sitting
Bronze medal – third place2019 Sella NeveaSuper-G, sitting
Bronze medal – third place2021 LillehammerSlalom, sitting

Career

Laurie Stephens started skiing at age 12 on Loon Mountain in New Hampshire and then began racing 3 years later at age 15 when she became a member of Chris Devlin-Young's New England Disabled Ski Team.[2] Stephens competes in 5 different skiing events which are the downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super-G, and Super Combined. She has competed in 4 Paralympic games and 5 world championships. Her debut as a Paralympian was in 2006 and since she has competed in the 2010, 2014, and the 2018 games. She has won a total of 7 Paralympic medals (2 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze) and 7 world championship medals (1 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze).[2] Stephens was named the Paralympic Sportswoman of the Year in 2006 by the United States Olympic Committee. Some of her best racing performances where in 2006 when she won her two gold medals in the super-G-Sitting (time 1:33.88) and downhill-Sitting (time 1:46.86).[1] In 2006 Stephens was also nominated for an Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award as Best Female Athlete with a Disability. In the 2018 PyeongChang games Laurie Stephens won a bronze medal for the US in alpine skiing using a mono-ski, her time was 1:35.8. In 2018 she also placed 4th in the Super combined-Sitting, 5th in the super-G-Sitting and Slalom-Sitting, 7th in giant slalom-Sitting.[2] Stephens also has competed for the United States in Paralympic swimming she held two records on in the 100-meter backstroke and one in the 200-meter backstroke.[1]

She won the gold medal in the women's giant slalom sitting para-alpine skiing event at the 2021 World Para Snow Sports Championships.[3]

Education

Outside of sports she studied therapeutic recreation at the University of New Hampshire.[4]

References
  1. "Athlete Bio". ipc.infostradasports.com. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  2. "LAURIE STEPHENS". teamusa.org. Team USA. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  3. "Marie Bochet earns 30th major gold medal in gripping Giant Slalom finish". Paralympic.org. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  4. Article in Foster's Daily Democrat from March 12, 2010


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