Success at Sochi spark for Peters

Corey Peters is relishing the coming campaign in Europe, the United States and Canada. Photo / Getty Images

For Corey Peters, the last year has been something of a journey of self-discovery.

The disabled skier competed with distinction at the Sochi Winter Paralympics in March and now, having figured out how good he could be, is relishing the coming campaign in Europe, the United States and Canada.

He has begun his season impressively with silver and bronze medals in the giant slalom and slalom sitting disciplines in a Noram Cup event in Aspen, Colorado this month, with teammate Adam Hall collecting a slalom win and fourth placing in the giant slalom in his standing events.

"Building up for three months before Sochi was about starting to learn I really had the ability, it's just getting the self-belief," Peters said.

"Now, after the success in Sochi I truly believe I belong there at the top with the rest of them."

In Sochi, Peters stunned the sport's top brass by following a sixth placing in the Super G, and a fourth in the Super Combined, with a silver medal in his favoured giant slalom.

Now, his sights realigned, Peters, who divides his time between his home in New Plymouth and Wanaka, is chasing more success, and with a more confident mindset.

The world championships are the pinnacle event for Peters, the stage on which funding is based.

"We have to reach certain targets set out for us in order to get funding," Peters said.

"But for me one of my goals has always been to win a World Cup series.

"To me, that proves you're the complete all-round skier for that season, not just the one event. It shows you've proved yourself over a whole season.

"That and the world champs are my goals and hopefully I can knock one of them off."

The World Cup has individual crystal globes awarded to winners of each class - giant slalom, slalom, downhill and so on.

Points are accumulated over the races. It is possible to win a globe without having actually won a cup race provided a skier has been consistently strong.

Peters' eyes are on his fancied giant slalom. New Zealand doesn't have full downhill facilities - the mountain runs don't have enough vertical drop - and in any case, "downhill still scares the shit out of me", he laughed.

He has a new coach, Ben Adams, whom he's known and worked with on and off for some time.

But perhaps the biggest benefit for Peters - who sustained a crushed spinal cord at a motocross event in 2009, leaving him paralysed - came at Sochi and that knowledge that he can foot it with the best.

He was named Snow Sports New Zealand Athlete of the Year recently and won the Taranaki Sports Person of the year award this year.

Peters is studying psychology extramurally at Massey University. It'll take a while to complete his degree, given how much of his time is taken up training, and competing around the world.

"In previous years I was a nobody, the new skier. Now other nations are taking note of my skiing and watching me with interest. I guess they see me as a bit of a threat.

"The weight comes off a little in that respect - if you don't feel as pressured because you know you've got the ability.

"So I'm quite excited coming into this season knowing I do have a good shot at a podium at these World Cups."