Top moments of 2025: Winter sports
With 2025 coming to a close and the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games approaching, now is the perfect time to relive some of the year’s best moments 22 Dec 2025
In 2025, Para athletes showcased the very best of Paralympic winter sports on ice and snow, dazzling fans around the world and building excitement for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
Before the year ends, let’s look back at some of the most memorable moments in winter Para sport. Don’t forget to return in the new year for more action and excitement in the 2025/2026 season and at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Games will feature six sports: Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing, Para ice hockey, Para snowboard and wheelchair curling.
Excitement builds for Milano Cortina 2026
This year, we celebrated many milestones on the road to Milano Cortina 2026. From unveiling the medal and torch designs to introducing the Games motto, “It’s Your Vibe,” preparations are well underway, and anticipation continues to grow.
Milano Cortina 2026 will be the first Paralympic Winter Games in Italy since Torino 2006, and the country is ready to welcome athletes and spectators when the Games open on 6 March.
Japan wins wheelchair curling mixed doubles title
Wheelchair curling mixed doubles will make its Paralympic debut at Milano Cortina 2026. At the World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Stevenston, Scotland, athletes offered a thrilling preview of what fans can expect in the inaugural Paralympic competition.
Japan’s Yoji Nakajima and Aki Ogawa celebrated their maiden world title with an 11–2 victory over hosts Scotland in the gold medal match. Japanese wheelchair curling athletes will compete at the Paralympics for the first time since Vancouver 2010.
China Tops Medals Table at Para Snowboard World Championships
Ji Lijia led China’s medal haul at the 2025 FIS Para Snowboard World Championships in March, winning gold in both the banked slalom and snowboard cross events in the men’s SB-UL category. Three years after dominating the medals table at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, Chinese athletes claimed 10 medals in Big White.
China swept the podium in the men’s snowboard cross SB-UL event, with Ji taking gold, Wang Pengyao silver, and Zhu Yonggang bronze. Li Tiantian topped the podium in the women’s banked slalom SB-LL1/SB-LL2 after beating Dutch star Lisa Bunschoten in the big final. Jaclyn Hamwey claimed bronze.
Italian Para alpine skiers shine in Maribor
The hosts are expected to be a major force in technical events at Milano Cortina 2026. Italy claimed three of the 12 gold medals at the World Championships in Maribor, with Giacomo Bertagnolli securing two in the vision-impaired category and René de Silvestro winning the giant slalom sitting category.
Bertagnolli took gold in the men’s giant slalom with guide Andrea Ravelli, and the following day, the duo clinched another victory in the men’s slalom. In the men’s giant slalom, de Silvestro finished with a 0.67-second advantage over defending champion Jesper Pedersen of Norway, claiming the lead after the first run and improving his time in the second.
USA-Canada rivalry heats up as teams confirmed for Milano Cortina 2026
In 2025, the eight teams that will compete for Paralympic gold in Para ice hockey at Milano Cortina 2026 were confirmed.
The USA, Canada, Czechia, China, and Germany secured their spots at the World Para Ice Hockey Championships A-Pool, while Japan and Slovakia earned the last two places by finishing in the top two at November’s Qualification Tournament. Italy qualifies as host nation.
The rivalry between the USA and Canada was on full display at the Worlds, with the two teams meeting in the gold medal match. The USA triumphed, avenging their loss to Canada in the previous edition’s final.
First-ever women’s World Championships in Para ice hockey
USA made history as the inaugural champions of the World Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Championships, defeating Canada 7–1 in a thrilling final. Lena Schroeder, one of only three female athletes to have competed at the Paralympic Winter Games, led Norway to bronze.
The six-team tournament in August marked a major milestone in the development of the women’s game and its pathway toward future Paralympic inclusion.
Ukraine wins Para cross-country skiing 4x2.5km mixed relay at Worlds
Ukraine claimed their fourth 4x2.5km Mixed Relay gold in five editions of the Para Cross-Country World Championships in Toblach. The mixed relay was a nail-biter, with just 18 seconds separating the top five teams and medals decided in the closing meters.
“This victory means that we are a really strong team,” Ukraine coach Andrey Nesterenko told FIS. “All of these athletes except Aleksyk were world champions already. Everyone worked really well. We are proud that we are here. We’re ready to fight the next day, and we are really happy.”
Ukraine 🇺🇦 won their fourth 4x2.5km Mixed Relay gold from the last five editions of the Para Cross-Country World Champs, with Norway 🇳🇴taking the Open Relay crown as Vilde Nilsen claimed her second gold in Toblach.
— #ParaSnowSports (@ParaSnowSports) February 13, 2025
Read more ⬇️https://t.co/kEjPqfucSr#Toblach2025
Kendall Gretsch pulls off hat-trick in Pokljuka
Just five months after winning a Para triathlon medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Kendall Gretsch completed a hat-trick of gold medals at the Para Biathlon World Championships.
Gretsch was the only athlete to hit all 20 targets in the women’s 12.5km individual sitting event on the final day, overtaking Germany’s Anja Wicker by two minutes to finish the World Championships unbeaten. She opened her campaign in Pokljuka with a win in the women’s 7.5km sprint on 6 February, then crossed the finish line more than a minute ahead of China’s silver medallist Zhai Yuxin in the sprint pursuit final.
“It’s a really good feeling going into next year,” Gretsch said about the 2025/2026 season and her preparations for Milano Cortina 2026.
Winter athletes gets unique and creative during summer
During the northern hemisphere summer, many athletes found creative ways to train and prepare for the season.
In July and August, Paralympians Tyler Turner, Oscar Burnham, Dani Aravich, Anja Wicker, Declan Farmer, and Katlin Riidebach shared their summer training routines on Paralympic.org. Many turned to surfing, cycling, and roller skiing - and took some well-deserved time to relax ahead of the busy season.
Paralympic season gets underway with thrilling action
The 2025/2026 season is already in full swing, with athletes giving fans a taste of what to expect at Milano Cortina 2026.
At the season-opening FIS Para Cross-Country World Cup in Canmore, Canada, dual athletes Oksana Masters and Giuseppe Romele, both Paris 2024 Paralympians, started strong. Romele dominated the men’s sitting category, winning all three races. Masters, who missed the previous season due to injury, took silver in the 10km interval start before claiming victory in both the sprint and the 10km mass start in the women’s sitting category.
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
