# Helene Ripa

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**Helene Barbro Ripa** (born 22 August 1971) is a Swedish former Paralympic athlete who has participated in swimming, cross-country skiing, mountain bike orienteering and canoeing events. She qualified as a swimmer for the [1992 Paralympic Games](/source/1992_Paralympic_Games) but finished outside the medal considerations. Ripa won a gold medal in cross-country skiing—her first Paralympic skiing event—and subsequently a silver medal at the [2014 Paralympics](/source/2014_Paralympics) in [Sochi](/source/Sochi), Russia. She competed in canoeing at the [2016 Paralympic Games](/source/2016_Paralympic_Games) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, marking three Paralympic appearances in three sports. She competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, in [Women's KL3](/source/Paracanoe_at_the_2020_Summer_Paralympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_KL3).[1]

## Sports career

### Swimming

At the age of fourteen, Helene Ripa was diagnosed with cancer in her right leg and doctors were forced to amputate the limb above the knee.[2] Following her rehabilitation, she took up swimming. She swam for *[Nacka HI](/source/Nacka_HI)* and won several championships between 1988 and 1993 for the club.[2] Among these were twenty-three Swedish Championship medals—ten of those gold. She also won four medals at the 1991 European Championship in [Barcelona](/source/Barcelona), including one gold medal.[2] She won five medals during the swimming championships in 1993; three of which were gold medals.[3] Ripa qualified for the [1992 Paralympic Games](/source/1992_Paralympic_Games) but did not win any medals.[4]

In 1993, Ripa was forced to end her swimming career due to injuries, opting instead to learn interior decorating and move to New York City. She later returned to Stockholm, where she started a dressmaking business that specialized in home decorating. Her dressmaking business lasted for about seven years.[5]

### Skiing

In 2003, Ripa met her future husband [Ronnie Pettersson](/source/Ronnie_Pettersson), whose athletic interests motivated her to return to sport.[6] This time she participated in cycling, paddling and skiing.[6] In 2011 in Tjejvasan, Ripa competed in her first cross-country skiing event. In 2012, she qualified for Sweden's cross-country national team.[7] Following several good results, she placed sixth in the Total World Cup IPC Nordic Skiing 2012/13.[8]

At the [2014 Paralympics](/source/2014_Winter_Paralympics) in [Sochi](/source/Sochi), Russia, Ripa won a gold medal in the 15 km classic cross-country event.[7] It was her first Paralympic start as a competitive skier.[7] By winning the event, she became Sweden's first Paralympic Winter Games gold medalist since the [1994 Winter Paralympics](/source/1994_Winter_Paralympics) in [Lillehammer](/source/Lillehammer).[7] In the mixed relay, Ripa competed with [Zebastian Modin](/source/Zebastian_Modin) and they won a silver medal.[9] Ripa was nominated for *Bragdguldet*, *Jerringpriset* ("The Jerring Award") and "Achievement of the Year" at the *Svenska Idrottsgalan* ("Swedish Athletics Gala") for her success at the 2014 Games.[10]

### Mountain bike orienteering

Ripa also competes in [mountain bike orienteering](/source/Mountain_bike_orienteering) for the club Haninge SOK. She placed second in 0-Ringen, which was held in [Boden, Sweden](/source/Boden,_Sweden), in 2013,[11] and won silver at the Swedish Championships in Eksjö in 2014. At the Swedish Championships in [Söderhamn](/source/S%C3%B6derhamn) in 2015, Ripa won a silver medal in sprint.[12]

### Canoeing

In mid-2015, Ripa started training and competing in canoeing for Brunnsvikens Kanotklubb.[13] She initially considered it as a complement to her skiing.[14] At the World Championships in [Duisburg](/source/Duisburg), Germany, in May 2016, Ripa qualified for the final and thus also qualified for the canoe sprint at the [2016 Paralympic Games](/source/2016_Paralympic_Games) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[15][16] The 2016 Games was the first Paralympics in which para-canoeing was an event; athletes could compete in three classes; [KL1](/source/KL1_(classification)), [KL2](/source/KL2_(classification)) and [KL3](/source/KL3_(classification)) for K-1 200 metres.[15] During the European Championships in Moscow, Russia, in June 2016, Ripa won the gold medal for K-1 200 metres in the KL3 class.[17] She finished in fifth place in the final of the [KL3 200-metre canoe sprint](/source/Paracanoe_at_the_2016_Summer_Paralympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_KL3) at the Rio Paralympics.[18][19]

### Media

Ripa presented the [Sveriges Radio](/source/Sveriges_Radio) show *[Sommar i P1](/source/Sommar_i_P1)* ("Summer on P1") on 1 July 2014 where she described her life and career. She then appeared on the televised after-show *[Sommarpratarna](/source/Sommarpratarna)* ("Summer conversations"), which was broadcast on [SVT](/source/Sveriges_Television) in November 2014.[20] Ripa participated in the [TV4](/source/TV4_(Sweden)) game show *[Fort Boyard](/source/Fort_Boyard_(TV_series))* in 2014 where she teamed up with [Thomas Wassberg](/source/Thomas_Wassberg) and Jonas Hallberg to take on the physical challenges of the game show.[21]

## References

1. ["Canoe Sprint: RIPA, Helene"](https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/canoe-sprint/athlete-profile-n1553401-ripa-helene.htm). *Tokyo 2020 Paralympics*. [Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games](/source/Tokyo_Organising_Committee_of_the_Olympic_and_Paralympic_Games). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210915182830/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/canoe-sprint/athlete-profile-n1553401-ripa-helene.htm) 15 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 15 September 2021.

1. ["Ripa: "Vill att alla ska se att jag har protes""](http://www.expressen.se/sport/vintersport/ripa-vill-att-alla-ska-se-att-jag-har-protes/) (in Swedish). *[Expressen](/source/Expressen)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160914142950/http://www.expressen.se/sport/vintersport/ripa-vill-att-alla-ska-se-att-jag-har-protes/) 14 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Rekreation och frisk luft..."](http://heleneripa.blogspot.se/2012/09/rekreation-och-frisk-luft.html) (in Swedish). Helene Ripa. 9 September 2012. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160916050717/http://heleneripa.blogspot.se/2012/09/rekreation-och-frisk-luft.html) 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Helene Ripa tog guld"](http://www.svt.se/sport/paralympics/ripa-slass-om-guldet-pa-15-km) (in Swedish). [Sveriges Television](/source/Sveriges_Television). 10 March 2014. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150924151206/http://www.svt.se/sport/paralympics/ripa-slass-om-guldet-pa-15-km) 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Helene Ripa stortrivs i Sunne"](http://sunne.se/sv/utveckling/Boende/bo-i-sunne/helene-ripa/) (in Swedish). [Sunne](/source/Sunne,_Sweden). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160921125431/http://sunne.se/sv/utveckling/Boende/bo-i-sunne/helene-ripa/) 21 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Här är hemligheten bakom guldsuccén"](http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/article18517710.ab) (in Swedish). *[Aftonbladet](/source/Aftonbladet)*. 11 March 2014. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160918195024/http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/article18517710.ab) 18 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Helene Ripa tog guld i Paralympics på 15 km"](http://www.expressen.se/sport/vintersport/helene-ripa-tog-guld-i-paralympics-pa-15-km/) (in Swedish). *Expressen*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160914093749/http://www.expressen.se/sport/vintersport/helene-ripa-tog-guld-i-paralympics-pa-15-km/) 14 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Helene Ripa siktar på medalj i Paralympics"](http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=179&artikel=5800464) (in Swedish). *[Sveriges Radio](/source/Sveriges_Radio)*. 4 March 2014. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160918001058/http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=179&artikel=5800464) 18 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Svenskt stafettsilver efter dramatik"](http://www.svt.se/sport/paralympics/tufft-for-modin-och-ripa) (in Swedish). SVT. 15 March 2014. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150924151209/http://www.svt.se/sport/paralympics/tufft-for-modin-och-ripa) 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Helene Ripa är Jerringpriset-kandidat"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160914144649/http://www.paralympics.se/Nyheter/NyheterfranParalympics/HeleneRipaarJERRINGPRISET-kandidat) (in Swedish). [Sveriges Paralympiska Kommitté](/source/Swedish_Paralympic_Committee). Archived from [the original](http://www.paralympics.se/Nyheter/NyheterfranParalympics/HeleneRipaarJERRINGPRISET-kandidat) on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Fira Heléne Ripa"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160917181204/http://www.haningesok.se/Nyheter/Egnanyheter/Nyhetsarkiv/FiraHeleneRipa) (in Swedish). Haninge SOK. Archived from [the original](http://www.haningesok.se/Nyheter/Egnanyheter/Nyhetsarkiv/FiraHeleneRipa) on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Om mig"](https://heleneripa.wordpress.com/about/) (in Swedish). Helene Ripa. 10 September 2012. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20161014033141/https://heleneripa.wordpress.com/about/) 14 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Nyheter"](https://www.bkk.se/nyheter/2016-05/) (in Swedish). Brunnsvikens Kanotklubb. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160918013017/https://www.bkk.se/nyheter/2016-05/) 18 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Längdstjärnan klar för Paralympics"](http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/kanot/article22842617.ab) (in Swedish). *Aftonbladet*. 18 May 2016. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160918195144/http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/kanot/article22842617.ab) 18 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Helene Ripa om Rio: "Det är lite overkligt""](https://web.archive.org/web/20160914144646/http://www.paralympics.se/Nyheter/NyheterfranParalympics/HeleneRipaomRioDetarliteoverkligt) (in Swedish). [Sveriges Paralympiska Kommitté](/source/Sveriges_Paralympiska_Kommitt%C3%A9). Archived from [the original](http://www.paralympics.se/Nyheter/NyheterfranParalympics/HeleneRipaomRioDetarliteoverkligt) on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Helene Ripa redo för Paralympics i ny idrott"](https://www.dn.se/sport/helene-ripa-redo-for-paralympics-i-ny-idrott/) (in Swedish). *[Dagens Nyheter](/source/Dagens_Nyheter)*. 5 September 2016. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160908000051/http://www.dn.se/sport/helene-ripa-redo-for-paralympics-i-ny-idrott/) 8 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Ripa tog EM-guld i kanot: "Ofattbart""](http://www.svd.se/ripa-tog-em-guld-i-kanot) (in Swedish). *Svenska Dagbladet*. [Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå](/source/Tidningarnas_Telegrambyr%C3%A5). 24 June 2016. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160916021141/http://www.svd.se/ripa-tog-em-guld-i-kanot) 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Ripa sugen på mer efter femteplatsen"](http://www.hd.se/2016-09-15/ripa-sugen-pa-mer-efter-femteplatsen) (in Swedish). hd.se. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160916131933/http://www.hd.se/2016-09-15/ripa-sugen-pa-mer-efter-femteplatsen) 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 15 September 2016.

1. ["Women's KL3 Schedule & Results – Paralympic Canoe Sprint"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160922224725/https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/canoe-sprint-womens-kl3-final). Rio 2016. Archived from [the original](https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/canoe-sprint-womens-kl3-final) on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.

1. [*Helene Ripa – Sommar & Vinter i P1*](http://sverigesradio.se/sida/avsnitt/391876?programid=2071) (in Swedish). Sveriges Radio. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160918001334/http://sverigesradio.se/sida/avsnitt/391876?programid=2071) 18 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

1. ["Här tvingas Helene Ripa bryta – Fångarna på fortet"](http://www.tv4.se/f%C3%A5ngarna-p%C3%A5-fortet/klipp/h%C3%A4r-tvingas-helene-ripa-bryta-2961789) (in Swedish). [TV4](/source/TV4_(Sweden)). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160918130544/http://www.tv4.se/f%C3%A5ngarna-p%C3%A5-fortet/klipp/h%C3%A4r-tvingas-helene-ripa-bryta-2961789) 18 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 September 2016.

## External links

- [Helene Ripa's website](http://heleneripa.wordpress.com/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Helene Ripa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_Ripa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_Ripa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.