Milano Cortina 2026: Strap yourself in for Para snowboard action
Milano Cortina 2026 will serve up three thrilling days of Para snowboard action across eight medal events 06 Mar 2026
The world’s top riders will chase glory over three days of Para snowboard action at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
Team USA was an early Para snowboard powerhouse after the sport debuted at Sochi 2014, but that dominance loosened four years ago. At Beijing 2022, Chinese Para snowboarders stormed home to claim a whopping ten medals to the USA’s four.
At these Paralympics, there also strong medal contenders from Italy, Canada, the Netherlands and Australian in the mix.
Male and female Para snowboard athletes will compete in one of three sport class categories based on their functional ability: SB-LL1 and SB-LL2 for lower-limb impaired riders, and SB-UL for those with upper-limb impairments. There will be eight medal events.
Cortina Para Snowboard Park plays host to the action and excitement of the snowboard cross heats and finals on Saturday and Sunday (7 and 8 March), with banked slalom heats and finals on 14 March.
Five stories to follow...
Can Italy’s home-grown heroes step up?
Emanuel Perathoner is a hot favourite to clinch gold in snowboard cross and banked slalom SB-LL2 events. The 39-year-old Olympian won nine of 10 FIS World Cup races during the past season.
A serious accident when he was training for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games resulted in him requiring a knee replacement and sent him on a new sports journey to the Paralympics.
“It is my first Paralympics, and I am excited about it,” Perathoner said.
“There were a lot of emotions in my first Olympics (Sochi 2014). I was nervous. This time, I hope to be relaxed. There is a lot of expectation because they are in Italy, close to home. I’m competing two hours away from my hometown; my friends will be there to cheer for me. I’m ready to go for it.”
Meanwhile, teammate and double Paralympian Jacopo Luchini, 35, hopes Italian spectators can cheer him on to reach the podium for the first time.
Also an elite surfer, Luchini won a US World Cup race in the banked slalom SB-UL in February.
He is looking forward to enjoying home comforts at these Games.
“I really believe a lot in healthy food, my diet, doctor and nutritionist,” Luchini said. “Now I’ll be sure to have my Italian food, my pasta and proteins, which is very important. The food is a part of the preparations and of the game.”
Can China keep up momentum?
Chinese Para snowboarder Lijia Ji is defending his title in the men's snowboard cross SB-UL at Milano Cortina 2026. He took silver in the banked slalom event in Beijing.
He is the reigning world champion in snowboard cross and banked slalom. He arrives at these Games after a big World Cup win in Switzerland in January and consistent podium appearances during the season.
Zhongwei Wu netted gold in the banked slalom SB-LL1 at Beijing 2022 and also a bronze in the snowboard cross. The 30-year-old had a World Cup victory in Switzerland in snowboard cross in January. Teammate, Qi Sun, 26, is defending his gold medal from Beijing 2022 in the banked slalom SB-LL2. He competes at his third Paralympics following three podium finishes in the past season on the World Cup circuit.
North Americans aim to shred to victory
Canadian Tyler Turner, who won his country’s first ever Para snowboard gold at Beijing 2022, hopes to defend his title. As a sky diving instructor, he knows all about rarefied heights.
“They say it is harder to stay on top than to get on top,” Turner said.
“I’m definitely feeling the pressure. That excitement is what I live for.”
He said the speed and progression of Japanese, Chinese and US riders won’t make it easy to go back-to-back.
“You look over at the start gate, and I’ll have to be on my best game.”
US Paralympic debutant Kate Delson is gearing up to make a powerful statement at her first games. The 2025-26 World Cup Crystal Globe winner has topped the podium five times since November and was also runner-up five times.
At Beijing 2022, Team USA's Brenna Huckaby won the women's banked slalom SB-LL2 to claim her third ever Paralympic gold, making her the most successful female athlete in the sport.
US rider Noah Elliott, 28, took gold in the banked slalom and a bronze medal in the snowboard cross at PyeongChang 2018.
He finished outside the medals in Beijing, but recent form indicates he has his mojo back: he won the banked slalom and overall FIS Crystal Globes for the 2024-25 season, and notched a World Cup win in February in the banked slalom SB-LL1 in the US.
Thunder from Down Under
Australia’s Para snowboard medal hopefuls include the country’s first ever indigenous Winter Paralympian, Amanda Reid.
The dual summer and winter athlete took gold in the women's Para cycling 500m time trial C1-3 at Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020, and silver in the same event at Rio. She also competed at London 2012 in 100m breaststroke.
She has made steady progress since transitioning to the slopes, with a 2023 world championship win in snowboard cross a highlight.
Ben Tudhope, the bronze medallist in snowboard cross SB-LL2 at Beijing 2022, will also be one to watch.
Tudhope was just 14 when he debuted at Sochi 2014. He is the first Australian winter athlete to win 50 medals in World Cup competition.
Dutch power couple
Para snowboard fans have been captivated by Dutch riders Lisa Bunschoten-Vos and Chris Vos’ love story for years.
The pair tied the knot after the Beijing 2022 Paralympics and now have a toddler daughter.
Vos, 28, has two silver medals – one from snowboard cross SB-LL1 in PyeongChang 2018 and the other from the banked slalom four years ago. He has four world cup podium third places to his name since January.
Bunschoten-Vos has a snowboard cross silver and a bronze in banked slalom from PyeongChang 2018. Most recently, she overcame a shin bone fracture to clock double World Cup wins in the US in February
Secure your tickets for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games
Milano Cortina 2026, which takes place from 6-15 March 2026, is set to be the most beautiful Paralympic Winter Games yet. Ticket prices start at EUR 10 for children under 14, with approximately 89 per cent of the tickets available for EUR 35 or less.
For more information, please visit tickets.milanocortina2026.org
