Photo Submitted to the Daily Mining Gazette Sarah Rowe of Dollar Bay (right) poses with Andrea Komsi of Croatia (middle) and Storm Klomhaus of Denver after the FIS Super G race Wednesday.

It is not every day that an athlete gets the opportunity to claw their way back in their chosen sport and become a difference maker, but that is exactly what Sarah Rowe is doing with NorAm Cup Series of downhill skiing.

The Dollar Bay native suffered an ankle injury that cost her three surgeries, hours of physical therapy and two years of proper training.

This year, competing as a member of the Burke Mountain Academy out of Vermont, Rowe has worked her way back into competitive shape and worked her way up to the NorAm Series, which, for comparison’s sake, is like the American Hockey League if the sport was hockey.

On Wednesday, Rowe took part in the Rocky Mountain Series FIS Super G race, which is the opening race of the season. Held at the United States Speed Center in Copper Mountain, Colorado, the FIS Super G race featured former Olympians, like Croatia’s Andrea Komsic and Storm Klomhaus, who is a member of the defending NCAA Division I national champion, Denver, among the field of 50 racers.

Rowe placed fifth in the her first race of the day. She was also the top finisher in the 19U category.

In her second race, she again finished as the top 19U competitor, but more importantly, she placed second overall, losing to Komsic by just 0.25 seconds. Klomhaus took third overall.

Rowe has had previous success with the Super G, winning the 16U national title in Snowbird, Utah, on March 31, 2106.

She will compete in the U.S. Ski Association 19U National Development Speed Camp from Saturday until Dec. 5. After that, she has a series of NorAm Cup races Dec. 12-17 in Panorama, British Columbia.