Milano Cortina 2026: New queen of Para snowboard crowned

There’s been a changing of the guard in the women’s Para snowboard at Milano Cortina 2026 with US Paralympic debutante Kate Delson outflanking veteran riders in a nail-biting banked slalom final. 

Delson, 20, shook off the "new kid on the block" title in dramatic fashion on day 7 of the games.

“I crossed that line and I knew I was up there,” she said. 

The final round was so close at the tail end that riders kept a close eye on the scoreboard after every athlete came down.

“Every single girl was on the circuit there cheering for me and gave the biggest hugs,” she said. 

Delson claimed the banked slalom gold medal with a best time of 1:02.99, beating veteran Dutch rider Lisa Bunschoten who had been leading the pack during the second runs.  

Reigning champion Brenna Huckaby of the US rounded out the podium for bronze.

“Now I get to share the podium with two of the biggest legends of this sport,” Delson said.

“I knew the course was running faster, so I just had to fix one line and do what I did.”

The final Para snowboard events of the games were moved a day earlier because of rain in the forecast for Saturday.

Delson, who was born missing most of the muscles in her right leg, is the youngest member of the United States team and celebrated today’s moment with her friends and family on hand.

She claimed a silver medal in the Para snowboard cross event earlier this week.

The 2025-26 World Cup Crystal Globe winner has topped the podium five times since November and was also runner-up five times.

Bunschoten said she gave her all in the second run.

“It was crazy close,” Bunschoten told the IPC.

“I almost couldn’t watch. I only looked at the time.

“(Delson) is the future of our sport. I always tell her you’re pushing me to be my best self.”

Bunschoten who missed the podium at Beijing 2022, was motivated to take “all the risks, (with) nothing to lose” on the Italian slopes.

Milano Cortina 2026 is her fourth Winter Paralympics, and she has a silver and bronze medal from PyeongChang 2018.

She opted to skip the snowboard cross and focus solely on this event.

"It's been a smart decision I guess, it shows with this medal. It's nice to not have that stress of the cross and that I could fully focus on this one and deliver," she said.

Bunschoten married fellow Dutch rider Chris Vos after Beijing 2022 and the couple now have a toddler, Jane. Less than five months after giving birth to her daughter, Bunschoten was back in competition.

Grandparents have helped with babysitting duties at these Games, so she and Vos can focus on their competitions.

“It’s totally different. Lots of planning. (Jane) is my biggest motivation,” she said.

Vos, who finished outside the podium in the SB-LL1, was thrilled for his wife. 

“She really had to step it up,” he said. 

It was difficult for Vos to watch his wife's race as he was preparing for his own event. 

“I heard her on the walkie talkie. And I was like ‘Damn Lisa... I can’t focus anymore.’ She did so well.”