Ihor Reptyukh was one of several Ukrainian medallists on day one of the IPC World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup in Western Center ©Getty Images

Ukraine's skiers were in emphatic form on the first day of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup in Western Center, claiming multiple podium finishes and two victories.

In the men’s middle distance event Ihor Reptyukh, Ukraine’s Sochi 2014 cross-country silver medallist, finished first with a time of 26 min 12.9sec, giving the hosts their first win of the day.

Finland’s Ilkka Tuomisto and another Ukrainian, Grygorii Vovchynskyi, completed the podium with times of 26:27.1 and 26:56.8 respectively.

Multiple Paralympic champion Oleksandra Kononova added a second victory to the host country’s haul in the women’s middle distance event as she won in a time of 19:53.1.

Her compatriot Iuliia Batenkova took second in 20:04.9, while a time of 21:19.3 was good enough to secure third for Japan’s Yurika Abe.

South Korea’s Eui Hyun Sin was the fastest in the men’s short distance sitting event, claiming his first World Cup win in 18:14.6.

Ukrainians Maksym Yarovyi and Taras Rad followed behind in 18:30.9 and 18:50.8 respectively.

The women’s equivalent was the only race without any of the hosts' skiers among the top three.

Germany’s Andrea Eskau claimed top spot in 10:17.6 ahead of Belarus’ Lidziya Hrafeyeva who finished second in 10:49.9.

Beibei Chu of China completed the top three in 11:20.0.

Oleksandra Kononova secured further glory for the hosts in the women’s middle distance race ©Getty Images
Oleksandra Kononova secured further glory for the hosts in the women’s middle distance race ©Getty Images

France’s Thomas Clarion, guided by Antoine Boillet, won the men’s middle distance visually impaired race with a time of 25:15.9.

Belarus’ Yury Holub finished second in 26:54.9 guided by Dzmitry Budzilovich as Ukraine’s Dmytro Suiarko, with guide Vasyl Potapenko, placed third in 26:59.5.

Austria’s Carina Edlinger was in great form as she secured the women’s middle distance visually impaired win with guide Julian Josef Edlinger in 21:52.9.

It was the first time the Austrian has won a World Cup event, which is promising ahead of the 2017 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships in Finsterau in Germany.

Ukrainian teammates Olga Prylutska, with guide Borys Babar, and Oksana Shyshkova, guided by Vitalii Kazakov, were second and third in times of 22:00.8 and 23:43.5 respectively.

Action is set to continue tomorrow with the long distance freestyle races before sprint freestyle events take place on Monday (January 16).

Biathlon races will then take place on January 17, 19 and 20.