Andrew

Kurka

Quick Facts

• Speciality: Combined, Downhill, Giant Slalom, Super G, Slalom
• Son of Amy Weideman
• One brother, Christian
• Hobbies include fishing, flying and forging
• Enjoys bike riding and pickleball
• Junior wheelchair bodybuilding state champion
• Former radio DJ
• An athlete mentor for Classroom Champions, a non-profit organization partnering Olympic and Paralympic athletes with students and teachers in underserved communities

Biographical Information

Andrew Kurka’s first Olympic dream wasn’t on the slopes, but on the wrestling mat, as he was a six-time Alaskan state champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling. At age 13, an ATV accident severely damaged three vertebrae in the middle of his spinal cord. Two years after his accident, he first tried a mono-ski on the encouragement of his physical therapist through a program called Challenge Alaska.

Kurka qualified for the U.S. Paralympic team for the Paralympic Winter Games Sochi 2014 but crashed in training and did not compete. He made his Paralympics at the Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, winning two medals – a gold in sitting downhill and silver in super-G – to become the first-ever Alaskan Paralympic medalist. Four years later, Kurka competed with a broken nose, thumb and humerus bone at the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, finishing fourth in the sitting downhill before returning home due to his injuries.

Off the snow, Kurka operates his own bed and breakfast, the Golden Standard, which is aimed at providing people with disabilities the opportunity to explore the Alaskan wilderness through flying and fishing. He got his Sport Pilot license from Purdue University to provide transportation to the guests.

Paralympic Experience

• 2-time Paralympian; 2-time Paralympic medalist (1 gold, 1 silver)
  • Paralympic Games Beijing 2022, 4th (Downhill - Sitting - Men)
  • Paralympic Games Pyeongchang 2018, (Giant Slalom - Sitting - Men), gold (Downhill - Sitting - Men), silver (Super-G - Sitting - Men), 7th (Super Combined - Sitting - Men)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2022 – (Super Combined - Sitting - Men), bronze (Downhill - Sitting - Men, Giant Slalom - Sitting - Men), 4th (Super-G - Sitting - Men)
• Years of participation: Downhill - Sitting - Men 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022; Giant Slalom - Sitting - Men 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022; Super Combined - Sitting - Men 2013, 2017, 2019, 2022; Super-G - Sitting - Men 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022; Slalom - Sitting - Men 2013, 2017, 2019
• Medals: 6 (1 gold, 1 silver, 4 bronze)
  • Gold – 2017 (Downhill - Sitting - Men)
  • Silver – 2017 (Giant Slalom - Sitting - Men)
  • Bronze – 2022 (Downhill - Sitting - Men, Giant Slalom - Sitting - Men); 2017 (Super-G - Sitting - Men); 2015 (Super-G - Sitting - Men)