Winter Paralympics 2023 Overview
This Friday marks the commencement of the Winter Paralympics in Verona, Italy, an event showcasing a historic 665 Para athletes competing for a total of 79 medal events. Milan Cortina promises to deliver its largest-scale Paralympic Games yet, with athletes participating in six distinct sports:
- Para alpine skiing
- Para biathlon
- Para cross-country skiing
- Para ice hockey
- Para snowboard
- Wheelchair curling
Athletes in skiing categories participate based on their level of ability, competing in standing, sitting, or vision-impaired divisions. Guides for vision impaired athletes receive medals as well. A unique results calculation system is in place that allows athletes from different functional categories to compete fairly against one another.
Sport Overview
Para Alpine Skiing
Debuting at the inaugural 1976 Winter Paralympics, Para alpine skiing features five events: slalom, giant slalom, super-G, downhill, and super combined. Altogether, 30 medal events will be contested—15 for men and 15 for women. For athletes in the sitting category, specialized monoski equipment enables them to navigate uneven terrains. The famed Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, also used in the recent Winter Olympics, will host these competitions.
Para Biathlon
This sport merges endurance skiing with precision marksmanship, providing three event types for each division: a 7.5-kilometer sprint, a 12.5-kilometer individual, and a sprint pursuit, totaling 18 medal events. Athletes ski multiple laps around the course, shooting at five metal targets 10 meters away between laps. Penalty loops or time penalties apply for missed shots, and as of 1988 in Innsbruck, Para biathlon accommodates athletes with both physical and visual disabilities, who are assisted by acoustic targets.
Para Cross-Country Skiing
Also set to occur in Tesero, Para cross-country skiing offers 20 medal events across several categories. Competitors will participate in three main formats: sprint, 10-kilometer interval start classic, and 20-kilometer interval start free, along with relays. Distinct courses are designed to suit the specific needs of sitting, standing, and vision-impaired athletes, enhancing the inclusivity of the sport.
Para Ice Hockey
Originating from a rehabilitation initiative in Stockholm in the 1960s, Para ice hockey was introduced in the Paralympics in 1994. Players navigate the rink in double-blade sledges and utilize specially designed sticks. The competition consists of matches split into three 15-minute periods. Notably, this year, the United States is aiming for continued dominance, seeking to retain their title from both the Winter Olympics and previous Paralympic Games. Matches will take place at the Santagiulia arena in Milan.
Para Snowboard
Making its Paralympic debut during the Sochi 2014 Games, Para snowboard consists of two main events—banked slalom and snowboard cross—this year at Cortina. Competitors are classified into categories based on their disabilities, with athletes permitted to use adaptive equipment to compete effectively.
Wheelchair Curling
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, wheelchair curling is back in Italy post-2006 Olympics. Participants must decide to throw the stone independently or with assistance to balance their wheelchair. The competition includes eight ends per game, shorter than the Olympic standard, and introduces a mixed doubles event alongside the standard mixed team competition.
The Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics is securing its place as a landmark occasion in Para sports history with its diverse range of competitions and record participation.
