Russell Kennedy, originally from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, has been competing for Canada in international events since 2010. His first World Cup appearance was in December 2012, with races in Quebec City and Canmore, Canada.
During the 2016-17 season, Kennedy topped the Nor-Am Cup standings, thanks to five top-three finishes, including one win. He also raced in five World Cup events in March 2017, with the season ending in Quebec City. In December 2017, he raced at World Cups in Ruka, Lillehammer, Davos, and Torblach. The following January, he returned to the Nor-Am Cup, securing podium spots in all five races he entered, winning two and placing second in three.
After competing in the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics, Kennedy took part in the Paralympic Winter Games as a guide for visually impaired skier Brian McKeever. They won a gold medal in the 1.5km sprint and a bronze in the 4×2.5km open relay.
Russell is also an alpine skier and continued to race both sports through middle school until he decided to focus solely on cross-country. We highlight Russell’s exceptional nordic downhill ski skills in many Nordic Ski Lab videos.
Russell is retired from competitive skiing and now works as a photographer and videographer, with expertise in wedding photography. Visit his website, YourBackandWhite.com for more information.
