George

Sansonetis

George Sansonetis is a four-time Paralympian, but hasn't been on the medal stand since his Paralympic Winter Games debut in Nagano in 1998.

Sansonetis notched one podium finish and eight finishes in the top 20 during this past World Cup season. He capped the year by claiming national championships in downhill, Super G and giant slalom and taking the overall title for stand-up skiers.

He started skiing at age four when his family moved to the Catskills, near Hunter Mountain. Sansonetis, who suffers from dystonia, was the lone skier with a physical disability in high school races. He later moved to Colorado, enrolled in the Winter Park National Sports Center for the Disabled Program in 1992, and qualified for the U.S. team in the ‘98 season.

Sansonetis is a self-described city boy who loves the mountains, camping, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting and even taxidermy.

Major Achievements:

• 2010: Team member – Paralympic Games, Vancouver, Canada
• 2008: Fifth place, slalom – The Hartford Ski Spectacular, Breckenridge, Colorado
• 2008: First place, downhill, Super G, giant slalom and overall – U.S. Championships
• 2008: Eight top-20 finishes in World Cup competition
• 2006: Member, U.S. Paralympic Alpine Skiing Team – Paralympic Winter Games, Torino, Italy
• 2005: Third place, Super G - World Cup 
• 2005: First place, downhill, Super G and giant slalom - The Hartford Championships
• 2004: First place, giant slalom; second place, Super G - World Cup, Abtenau, Austria
• 2003: First place, Super G - U.S. Championships
• 2002: Fifth place, Super G; Sixth place, downhill – 2002 Paralympic Winter Games, Salt Lake City, Utah
• 1998: Silver medal, giant slalom; bronze medal, Super G – 1998 Paralympic Winter Games, Nagano, Japan