Para snowboard

Athletes compete in two different events in three categories for men and one for women depending on the type of disability:

- Athletes with a physical disability affecting one or both legs. They can use prosthetics or modified equipment to compete.

- Athletes with a physical disability affecting one or both arms, who compete while standing.

The athletes compete in the following events:

Banked slalom

Each athlete completes two runs, and the best run determines their final ranking based on increasing time. Only one athlete is on the course at a time. The course may have a medium-pitched slope; ideally the trail is a naturally variable terrain with lots of bumps and dips. There are snowbanks at the gate and the athlete can choose the best path to navigate the course.

Snowboard cross

During qualifications, each athlete completes two runs, and the best run determines their final ranking. Only one athlete is on the course at a time. In head-to-head competitions, there are 16 men and eight women in the finals, with four competitors per heat (or another number set by the jury) in each run. In timed events, athletes compete one at a time.

At Milano Cortina 2026, the men's and women's events will take place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, at the Cortina Para Snowboard Park.

Para snowboard was initially governed by the World Snowboard Federation (WSF), but after signing a memorandum of understanding in 2010, it was included in World Para Alpine Skiing to continue to work with the WSF to develop the sport. World Para Snowboard then served as the international federation for this sport until governance was transferred to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) in 2022.

The sport owes its popularity to the determination of a group of pioneers who, in 2005, began to request that this sport be included at the Paralympic Winter Games.

After many years of campaigning, it was announced in 2012 that Para snowboard would make its debut at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games as part of the alpine skiing program, with two medal events in snowboard cross time trials for men and women with lower limb disabilities.

Para snowboard made its debut at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

The sport experienced considerable success, attracting the attention of international media. At the Games, Dutch athlete Bibian Mentel-Spee and American Evan Strong won gold in the women's and men’s events, respectively.