Following the Winter Olympics, the peaks of Cortina d’Ampezzo and the ice rinks of Milan are gearing up to host the 2026 Winter Paralympics. From March 6 to 15, nearly 600 athletes from around the globe will gather in Italy to compete in 79 medal events. More than just a competition, this event showcases cutting-edge equipment pushing the boundaries of athletic performance.
To fully experience these ten exhilarating days, it's important to grasp the nuances of the various disciplines competing. While some are familiar, others have been completely reinvented to accommodate different disabilities, often delivering performances even more impressive than their Olympic counterparts. From alpine skiing slopes to strategic battles on the ice, let’s take a look at the six sports that will have fans on the edge of their seats this spring.
A flagship sport of the Games, alpine skiing features five events: downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, and combined. Competitors are divided into three categories based on their disabilities: standing, seated (using a monoski), or visually impaired. The visually impaired athletes are guided by a partner who skis ahead and provides real-time instructions via radio. Speeds can reach over 100 km/h in the most thrilling runs.
Biathlon blends the endurance of cross-country skiing with the precision of shooting. Competitors complete three or five laps, punctuated by shooting rounds at 10 meters. For athletes with visual impairments, the guns are fitted with an acoustic system: the sound signal becomes higher in pitch as the shooter nears the center of the target.
Snowboarding is the newest sport added to the Paralympic program. Competition formats include two main events: Snowboard Cross, which features obstacle courses with jumps and sharp turns, and Banked Slalom, a downhill slalom on a naturally sloped track. Athletes are categorized based on how their disabilities affect their balance and ability to control the snowboard.
A true test of strength and endurance, cross-country skiing covers a range of distances from short sprints of about 800 meters to 20-kilometer races. Skiers compete using either traditional skis or nordic sledges equipped with two cross-country skis, allowing them to propel themselves solely with their arms.
Fast-paced and physically demanding, para-hockey is one of the most thrilling sports to watch. Players sit on double-blade sledges and propel themselves with two sticks equipped with spikes at one end, using the other end to control the puck. The rules closely mirror those of traditional hockey, ensuring high-energy, action-packed games.
Paralympic curling requires meticulous strategy and pinpoint accuracy. Unlike Olympic curling, there's no sweeping of the ice: the stone must be released with the perfect force and direction right from the start, either by hand or using a specialized "stick" (a launching rod).
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