Palmer monoskier selected to U.S. National Team

PALMER — There’s no quit in Andrew Kurka.

It’s been only about four months since the Palmer Paralympian suffered a broken back during a training run as a member of Team USA’s men’s downhill adaptive skiing team in Sochi, Russia. The injury may have led to a premature end to his 2014 Paralympics Games. But it didn’t sideline the 22-year-old for long.

Thursday, Kurka was named to the 2014-15 U.S. Paralympics Alpine Skiing National Team.

“I’m super excited,” Kurka said. “After going out unexpectedly before the biggest race of my life, I’m really looking forward to making a comeback this year.”

Kurka, an adaptive skier and veteran on the monoski, was one of two Alaskans and 26 athletes slated to compete in the 2014 games, which started March 7 in Sochi. On March 6, during his first training run, Kurka took a jump and launched himself about 180 feet into the air. Kurka landed on the back of his ski, and rolled down the slope like a tomahawk flying through the air for a distance.

Kurka said he approached the training run just like any other.

“I underestimated a jump substantially,” Kurka told the Frontiersman after the accident.

When he finally stopped, Kurka said, he knew exactly what happened.

“When I stopped rolling my back hurt,” Kurka said, “I knew right away that I had broken my back.”

This was the third time Kurka has broken his back. When he was 13, Kurka was in a four-wheeler accident at Jim Creek near Palmer. The ATV flipped and Kurka landed on his head. The impact compressed his spine and cracked his skull. He was medevaced from Jim Creek to Providence Medical Center in Anchorage to recover from the injuries that left him partially paralyzed.

Kurka broke his back a second time training for the Winter X Games earlier in his adaptive skiing career.

Kurka was not able to let the latest back injury threaten his career.

“As soon as they told me it would heal and it wasn’t permanent, I didn’t need surgery, I was like, it’s on,” Kurka said Saturday. “Even if I would have needed surgery, I would have found a way.”

Kurka said it took about a month after the March 6 accident for doctors to clear him for light exercise. About a month ago, Kurka was given the OK to participate in full competitions.

While he’s enjoyed his time at home, Kurka said he’s more than ready to get back on his monoski and the snow.

“It’s been a nice break in Alaska, getting to see the family, enjoying the summer time in Alaska. But I’m ready to go,” Kurka said. “Especially with what happened, breaking my back again. I don’t want to fall behind my competition. My competition’s out there. They’re either skiing or exercising just as hard as I am. I don’t want to lose my edge.”

Kurka will make his official return to the slopes Aug. 26 in Chile. His near future also includes a trip to Austria and work at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup series begins in January. The IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships are slated for March 1-11 in Panorama, British Columbia, Canada.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.