Industry News
Karenna Elliot, a 21-year-old from Mason, Ohio is a U.S. Ski Team member. Elliot’s story is an inspiring one, as she had only started skiing six years prior. Elliot hopes to qualify for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Elliot’s story starts with her originally pursuing a completely different sport. Initially practicing gymnastics throughout her youth, the sport helped her get a feel for intense competition. Elliot excelled in the trampoline and tumbling events within the sport. “I’ve been doing gymnastics since I was two – different forms of it,” Elliott explains per WLWT5.
When Elliot was 14, she was competing at a gymnastic event when someone from the U.S. Ski Team approached her and asked if she was interested in aerial skiing. “I had never seen it before, so I thought it was really cool and might as well give it a try,” Elliott said. By the time she was 15, Elliot was skiing for the first time.
Elliot ending up tearing her ACL when skiing, but even after recovery, she continued improving. “I did my first official competition (after tearing my ACL), which was the U.S. selections event, and I actually won the competition. So that was pretty cool,” Elliott said.
Today, Elliot lives in Park City, Utah. Her location allows her to perfect her skills. Although her journey may not be as long as others, the determination she has is unmatched. “That’s the dream. To go the Olympics for the U.S. and compete for your family and your friends and sponsors and for your country. That’d be a dream come true,” Elliot states.
Karenna’s story proves that it is never too late to get in the game. The Beijing Winter Olympic Games will start on February 4 and end on February 20 and will feature the U.S. Aerial Ski Team.
