Netcracker Sponsors U.S. Skier Andrew Kurka at 2022 Paralympic Winter Games

Netcracker Technology announced today its continued support of Paralympic alpine skier and Team USA athlete Andrew Kurka as he prepares for the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games next month. Netcracker has sponsored Kurka for over a decade of his remarkable career, which most recently included winning two medals at both the Lillehammer 2021 Para Snow Sports World Championships in Norway and the Åre World Cup in Sweden in January.

The 2022 Winter Paralympics will take place from March 4-13 in Beijing, China. Kurka will compete in multiple Alpine Skiing events, including Downhill, Giant Slalom, Super-G and Super Combined. Kurka won a gold medal in the men’s Downhill sitting event and a silver medal in the men’s Super-G sitting event at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

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. However, his dream took a detour at age 13 after an ATV accident severely damaged three vertebrae in the middle of his spinal cord. Two years after his accident, he first tried the monoski on the encouragement of his physical therapist through a program called Challenge Alaska. He went on to make the U.S. Paralympic National Team in 2010 and made his international debut. He became the first person in a monoski to ski the Christmas Chute on the North Face of Mt. Alyeska in Girdwood, Alaska.

In addition to his success on the slopes, Kurka is making an impact in various communities where he strives to give back and make a difference. He works with a variety of programs, including Classroom Champions and Challenge Alaska, to mentor and teach adaptive sports and athletics to children and aspiring athletes. He has also been a longtime supporter of Adaptive Spirit, a nonprofit telecommunications industry organization that fundraises for the U.S. Paralympic Ski and Snowboard Team.

“I’ve been training and pushing myself every day to prepare for the 2022 Winter Paralympics, and Netcracker has been a huge part of that, believing in me from the start and helping to propel me on my journey,” said Kurka. “Netcracker helped me as I struggled early in my career and encouraged me along the way to where I am able to compete at the highest level today. Perhaps more importantly, they have also helped me to give back to others. As an athlete who wants to instill a sense of integrity in everything that I do, I appreciate the support of a company that shares the same positive values.”

“Andrew embodies perseverance and inspires everyone around him,” said Sylvain Seignour, President of Netcracker. “It has truly been an honor to continue to support him throughout his career, and we cannot wait to watch him and Team USA compete for the gold in Beijing.”

Netcracker Technology, a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, offers mission-critical digital transformation solutions to service providers around the globe.