Erna Friðriksdóttir (born 2 November 1987 [1] [2] ) is an Icelandic alpine skier. She competes in Paralympic alpine skiing, in the sitting category, using a monoski. [3]
She qualified to represent Iceland in alpine skiing at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, competing in the women's slalom and the women's giant slalom. [4] She was Iceland's sole representative, [5] and her country's flagbearer during the Games' opening ceremony. [6] This was only Iceland's second participation in the Winter Paralympic Games. For its previous participation, in 1994, it had fielded a single male athlete (Svanur Ingvarsson), in ice sledge speed racing. [7] Erna was thus Iceland's first ever Paralympic alpine skier, and its first female Winter Paralympian.
In Vancouver, competing in the women's slalom, she completed the first run in 2:04.05 (14th and last of those who finished the race), crashed twice during the second and struggled to pick herself up, eventually reaching the finish line. She was, however, recorded as disqualified for her second run. [8]
The alpine skiing competition of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympics will be held at Whistler, British Columbia. The events were due to be held between 13 March, and 21 March 2010. Events scheduled for 13 March, however, were postponed due to weather conditions – specifically, low visibility. The snowboard cross event was a demonstration sport until 2014.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland competed at the 2010 Winter Paralympics held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The team was known by it shortened name of Great Britain, for identification purposes.
France sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The country fielded seven athletes in cross-country skiing and biathlon, and fourteen in alpine skiing. The team’s flagbearer was alpine skier Romain Riboud.
New Zealand sent a delegation to take part in the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The country fielded two athletes, both in alpine skiing.
Belgium sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 12–21 March 2010. The country was represented by a single athlete, visually impaired Natasha de Troyer, who competed in five events in alpine skiing.
Netherlands competed at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The team included 1 athletes, 1 men and 0 women. Competitors from Netherlands did not win any medals.
Germany sent 20 competitors to compete in four disciplines at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They placed first overall in the medal standings with a total of 13 gold medals.
Japan sent 42 competitors to compete in all five disciplines at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver.
Armenia's delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics, in Vancouver fielded a total of two athletes, both in alpine skiing.
Andorra sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics, in Vancouver. It fielded two athletes, both in alpine skiing.
Austria sent delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics, in Vancouver. It fielded a total of nineteen athletes, in alpine skiing, biathlon and cross-country skiing.
Chile sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics, in Vancouver. It fielded a total of two athletes, both in alpine skiing.
Croatia sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver. A total of four athletes competed, all in alpine skiing.
Finland will send a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics, in Vancouver. It will be fielding a total of five athletes, in alpine skiing, biathlon and cross-country skiing.
Iceland sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The country thus made its return to the Winter Paralympics after a sixteen-year absence; its only prior participation had been in 1994.
Iceland made its Paralympic Games début at the 1980 Summer Paralympics in Arnhem, where it fielded thirteen athletes, who won two medals. Since then, the country has competed in every edition of the Summer Paralympics.
Romania sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Paralympics, in Vancouver, Canada. It fielded a single athlete, in alpine skiing. It did not win a medal.
Cameron Rahles-Rahbula is a former Paralympic alpine skier from Australia. He won two bronze medals at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver. He represented Australia in four Paralympics, stating with the 2002 Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City and the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Torino. He did not compete in any events at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi due to knee and ankle injuries sustained during the warm up for the downhill event of the Games but carried the Australian flag in the Parade of Nations at the Opening Ceremony. He also won two gold medals and a silver medal at the 2004 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Wildschönau, Austria, and a gold and a bronze medal at the 2009 World Championships in Jeongseon, Korea. He retired after the Sochi Games.
Iceland sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was Iceland's third time participating at a Winter Paralympic Games. The Icelandic delegation consisted of two alpine skiers, Erna Friðriksdóttir and Jóhann Þór Hólmgrímsson. Jóhann finished 23rd in the men's sitting giant slalom, while Erna finished 10th in the women's sitting slalom and 9th in the women's sitting giant slalom.
The Netherlands sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, held between 7–16 March 2014. The Netherlands delegation consisted of seven competitors, all of which were competing in sports under the alpine skiing banner. Bibian Mentel won the nation's only medal at these Paralympics, a gold in women's snowboard cross. With one gold medal, the Netherlands ranked a joint 14th place on the medal table with Switzerland.