Month in review: February 2016

Wheelchair Curling World Championships 2016

Russia defeated Norway for the World Championship title, claiming their third in the last five years. South Korea defeated host Switzerland for the bronze medal, as the competition concluded on 28 February in Lucerne.

IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships C-Pool

Austria moved up to the B-Pool after defeating Finland 1-0 to take the title in Novi Sad, Serbia. With the victory, Austria also increases its chances of qualifying for the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

The competition ran as part of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games Actualising the Dream project, which aims to develop winter sport around the world.

IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals; Europa Cup

Finals in technical races were held in Aspen Mountain and Buttermilk Mountain, USA, respectively, with the overall globe winners in slalom and giant slalom of the season being crowned. It was no surprise when France’s Marie Bochet – who finished unbeaten this season – clasped the women’s slalom standing World Cup globe.

The full final giant slalom and slalom standings for the 2015-16 IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup can be found here.

In Espot, Spain, skiers also raced in Europa Cup giant slalom and slalom with Austria’s Roman Rabl claiming four wins.

IPC Biathlon and Cross-County Skiing World Cup; Asia Cup

A dramatic photo finish in the women’s cross-country standing highlighted the World Cup in Finsterau, Germany, where Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova and Russian Anna Milenina claimed joint first place.

Earlier in February, Russia’s Ekaterina Rumyantseva headlined the Asia Cup held in PyeongChang, South Korea, sweeping all four events across biathlon and cross-country skiing.

IPC Snowboard World Cup; NorAm Cup

The Netherlands’ Bibian Mentel-Spee was among the big winners at the World Cup in Big White, Canada, leaving with a 100 per cent win record in the women’s SB-LL2 banked slalom and snowboard-cross... Mentel-Spee also secured back to back snowboard-cross World and NorAm Cup victories in Aspen, USA.

Canadian athletes saw success on their home snow in the NorAm Cup also held in Big White, with four reaching the podium.

IPC Powerlifting World Cups

Iran’s Paralympic and world champion Siamand Rahman did not disappoint at the World Cup in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, lifting 296kg to set a new world record in the men’s over 107kg.

In Kuala Lumpur, three weight categories in the women’s events featured world-record attempts. Mexico’s up to 61kg world and Paralympic champion Amalia Perez competed in the up to 55kg. She attempted to add 0.5kg onto the world record with 126.5kg. It was not to be, but Perez still came first with the 122kg best.

Wheelchair rugby Rio 2016 Test Event

Australia, Brazil, Canada and Great Britain got a taste of the Carioca Arena 1, where wheelchair rugby events for the Paralympic Games will be held, and it was Great Britain who emerged victorious.

IPC Athletics Grand Prix

Australia’s double world champion Angie Ballard kicked off the IPC Athletics Grand Prix season with a hat-trick of wins in Canberra.

IWAS Wheelchair Fencing World Cup

Italy’s Beatrice Vio extended her unbeaten run to nine competitions following her victory in the women’s category B foil competition at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) Wheelchair Fencing World Cup in Eger, Hungary.

Devonport OTU Para-Triathlon Oceania Championships

Australia’s reigning men’s PT1 world champion Bill Chaffey won his home race in Devonport, showcasing his form ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where para-triathlon will debut.

Lignano Master Open (table tennis)

Sweden’s European champion Anna-Carin Ahlquist dominated the women’s singles class 3 competition in Lignano, Italy, taking her sixth singles gold and seventh consecutive singles medal. Croatia’s Sandra Paovic also looked strong ahead of September’s Paralympic Games, as the women’s singles class 6 world and European champion defeated world No. 3 Ukraine’s Maryna Lytovchenko.