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Roundup: Sweden Ski Tunnel Trip Highlighted A Busy Summer For U.S. Skiers

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by Alex Abrams

Every other week we scour the web for the latest going on in the world of U.S. Para Nordic skiing. Here’s what you missed! 

Snow In July: Team USA Travels to Sweden to Train Inside Ski Tunnel 

The top American Para Nordic skiers traveled to Sweden in July to get some much-needed time on snow. 


Seven-time Paralympian Aaron Pike and Paralympic hopeful Michael Kneeland were part of a group of athletes who spent several days training inside a ski tunnel in Torsby, Sweden. It was a welcome change for the skiers, who have been doing dryland training to stay in shape this offseason.

“I thought that I was going to be struggling a little bit (inside the ski tunnel) since I was on roller skis for the summer before the trip,” Kneeland told USParaNordic.org. “But then I tried (skiing again), and I really did pretty well with it.” 

The training camp in Torsby marked the first time that the athletes got on snow since May, when they participated in a training camp that U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing held in Bend, Oregon. 

 

Pike, who’s a member of the U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing national team, said he used the time inside the ski tunnel to try out several adjustments that he has been making to his sit ski. He also worked on his rifle shooting for the biathlon. 

 

“It felt good to get some snow under the skis,” Pike told USParaNordic.org. “Roller skiing is one thing I get to do a little bit, and I’ll be doing more of that, but there’s nothing that is quite like snow and what that pole planting feels like.” 

 

For Kneeland, who’s a member of the U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing development team, the trip to Sweden was part of a busy summer for the 19-year-old sit skier. He worked at Home Depot, prepared for his freshman year at Montana State and continued training to hopefully qualify for the Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. 


Dani Aravich Embarks On 700-Mile Bike Ride 

Dani Aravich is back on her bicycle and riding long distances for a good cause. 

 

As she has done over the past few years, the two-time Paralympian is taking part in a 700-mile bike ride through Wisconsin with Team One Mile, a charitable organization that raises money and awareness for the children of fallen soldiers. 

 

“Today I had the privilege of visiting Camp Hometown Heroes, where kids who have lost a parent in service find healing, hope, and community,” Aravich wrote on Instagram. “Seeing their strength firsthand gave me even more motivation for the miles ahead.” 

Aravich provided the itinerary for the first day of her trip. She planned to ride from Baraboo in southern Wisconsin to La Crosse in the western part of the state, covering 141 miles.  

 

“And we’re off!” Aravich wrote on Instagram. 

Fans can follow Aravich’s progress during the ride on Team One Mile’s Instagram account at @teamonemile. 

 

Oksana Masters Unveils Her Own Bobblehead 

Oksana Masters now has her own bobblehead to go along with the 19 Paralympic medals she has earned in Nordic skiing, cycling and rowing. 

 

Masters recently marked the one-year anniversary of when she won one of her two gold medals in cycling at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games by sharing an image of a bobblehead made to resemble the multi-sport star.  

 

The bobblehead depicts Masters raising an American flag behind her head while sitting in her handcycle as she did in Paris. Fans can purchase the approximately five-inch-tall bobblehead for $35.


“Meet mini-me in the handcycle — ready to cheer you on from your shelf, desk, or wherever you need a little extra motivation,” Masters wrote on Instagram. “I am literally obsessed with the details of my handcycle in this moment.” 

The official Instagram account for Team USA also had a little fun and named superlatives like in a high school yearbook. Masters, who’s is an elite group of Paralympians who has won a gold medal in both the Summer and Winter Games, was named “Most Dependable.”

Nicole Zaino Finds Balance In Different Ways 

Paralympic hopeful Nicole Zaino is finding different ways to stay balanced this offseason. 

 

Zaino, who’s a member of the U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing development team, shared on Instagram that she has worked to stay grounded this summer while training for the Winter Paralympics. She has done so by going on long rides on her mountain board and quilting. 

 

“Balance has been a big goal of mine this summer,” Zaino wrote on Instagram. “From a long, easy mountain board ride on quiet gravel roads to the calm of quilting — every activity supports recovery.” 

Alex Abrams has written about Olympic and Paralympic sports for more than 15 years, including as a reporter for major newspapers in Florida, Arkansas and Oklahoma. He is a freelance contributor to USParaNordic.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.