Milano Cortina 2026: Best Para snowboard moments

Emanuel Perathoner becomes double gold medalist Team USA Kate Delson shakes off new kid on the block moniker Jacopo Luchini steps up to impress home crowd 24 Mar 2026

Two male Para snowboarders in competition

Cortina Para Snowboard Park staged eight medal events during the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

ⒸDario Belingheri/Getty Images

By Lisa Martin | For the IPC

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games featured unforgettable moments, groundbreaking achievements, and emotional highs, all taking place at stunning venues in Italy.

In Para snowboard, eight medal events took place at the Cortina Para Snowboard Park. Italy topped the medals table with three golds, thanks to double Paralympic champion Emanuel Perathoner. China and the USA shared second place with two gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

Best Para Snowboard Moments 🏂 | Milano Cortina 2026 ❄️

Here are three moments from Para snowboard that made the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics even more magical.

Top moment: Zero to hero, Emanuel Perathoner becomes double gold medalist

Emanuel Perathoner won two gold medals in front of home crowds at Cortina Para Snowboard Park, five years after sustaining a major injury that crushed his hopes of competing at his third Olympic Winter Games.

He topped the podium in the men's snowboard cross SB-LL2 on 8 March and won another gold five days later in the men's banked slalom SB-LL2 race.

“I hoped that I would achieve that (two gold medals). I tried and trained for that, and so now I'm super happy that all the last four years, all the work that I did was worth it,” he said.

Heading into his Paralympic debut, Perathoner was considered a home favourite and was under immense pressure to deliver.

But the 39-year-old managed to maintain his inner calm.

"I was used to pressure since I started in (Olympic) snowboarding first. Everybody is always expecting that I win, so I get used to the pressure," he said.

A male Para snowboarder making a steep turn in the snowboard park — Perathoner had competed at two Olympic Winter Games before transitioning to Para snowboard. @Dario Belingheri/Getty Images

Rising star: Team USA Kate Delson shakes off new kid on the block moniker

At 20-years-old, Kate Delson showed her mettle against more experienced Para snowboarders to claim gold in the women’s banked slalom SB-LL2 event.

It all came down to a thrilling last run for Delson, who needed to pick up the pace to knock Dutch rider Lisa Bunschoten-Vos out of first place.

“It feels unreal to have a gold medal,” Delson said.

“I was just stoked to be here, I think it's such a fun course.”

The feat followed a silver in the snowboard cross event earlier in the week. She celebrated with her friends and family.

“It's crazy. It means a lot. Medals are medals, but just to be progressing my snowboarding and having so much fun out there on the course is what makes me happy,” she said of her two medals at Milano Cortina 2026.

Three female athletes are celebrating on the podium — Kate Delson, centre, won gold, Lisa Bunschoten-Vos, left, took silver and Brenna Huckaby took bronze in the women's banked slalom SB-LL2 event. @Maja Hitij/Getty Images

Read more about Kate Delson's impressive Paralympic debut

Surprise moment: Jacopo Luchini steps up to impress home crowd

After finishing off the podium at PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022, Jacopo Luchini stepped up on home soil to deliver the performance of a lifetime in the men's banked slalom SB-UL event.

A rowdy Italian cheer squad was thrilled with the victory, waving flags in the stands.

"This is a dream come true,” Luchini said.

"You have a lot of pressure. You want to be good in front of all your friends, your parents, and all the Italian team. It wasn't so easy to arrive here.”