The team are currently in Vuokatti, Finland, for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing World Cup finals, which run until April 1, a key stage of preparation on the road to the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympics.

The US, along with most nations, have barely had a look in as the Russian team have dominated proceedings, and indeed they only sent four competitors to Finland.

The best result for the US so far was Lt Dan Cnossen's (pictured) eighth place finish in the cross country middle distance sitting division, a race in which compatriot, Air Force veteran Sean Halsted, came 11th.

"Dan had a solid result; he's brand new to our team and has been a great story for us," Farra said.

Unconcerned at the absence of medals so far, Farra added: "Our target goal is to finish in the top 10 consistently.

"We're in no rush for medals in Finland.

"We just need our guys to get racing experience."

Farra added that the US was stronger in the biathlon events, which are the next set of races after the cross country competition was concluded.

In the cross country events, Russia claimed the women's visually impaired title, with Elena Remizova finishing clear of her rivals in a competition dominated by her compatriots.

Stanislav Chokhlaev won the men's visually impaired crown, with Roman Petushkov taking the men's sitting trophy to cement Russia's place way out at the head of the medal table.

Norway took two cross country titles – the women's sitting through Mariann Marthinsen and the men's standing through Vegard Dahle, while Kate Rogowiec picked up a title for Poland in the women's standing.

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