DAILY COUNTDOWN 7 – Men's GS in Para Alpine and now Para Snowboard Banked Slalom

Friday (March 13) was set to focus solely on races from the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre as skiers compete in the men’s Giant Slalom. It is the penultimate event for these competitors, with just four races remaining for them at Milano Cortina 2026.

Medals have already been awarded in the Downhill, Super-G and the Super Combined, in what has proven to be an enthralling Games so far.

However, an adverse weather forecast for Saturday saw the Para Snowboard Banked Slalom brought forward to Friday at the Cortina Para Snowboard Park.

Read on for a full breakdown of day seven, where seven sets of medals will be won.

Medal Events Day 7 – Friday, March 13

Here is the full medal schedule for day seven:

• 09:00 CET: Women’s Banked Slalom SB-LL2 – Run 1

• Followed by: Men’s Banked Slalom SB-UL – Run 1

• Followed by: Men’s Banked Slalom SB-LL1 – Run 1

• Followed by: Men’s Banked Slalom SB-LL2 – Run 1

• 11:00 CET: Women’s Banked Slalom SB-LL2 – Run 2 – results

• Followed by: Men’s Banked Slalom SB-UL – Run 2 – results

• Followed by: Men’s Banked Slalom SB-LL1 – Run 2 – results

• Followed by: Men’s Banked Slalom SB-LL2 – Run 2 – results

• 12:30 CET: Men’s Giant Slalom – Vision Impaired, Run 2 – results

• Followed by: Men’s Giant Slalom – Standing, Run 2 – results

• Followed by: Men’s Giant Slalom – Sitting, Run 2 – results

The first run of the men’s Para Alpine Giant Slalom will start at 09:00 CET.

There are two runs in the Para Snowboard Banked Slalom, with the fastest individual times across both runs deciding the medals.

Across the Games, a total of 58 Paralympic medal events are taking place in ski and snowboard disciplines. Thirty of those are in Alpine, 20 in Cross-Country, with the remaining eight in Snowboard.

• Click here for the full Winter Paralympic schedule

Athletes & Storylines to Watch

Men’s Giant Slalom

Johannes Aigner (AUT), guided by Nico Haberl, is on course to match his medal tally from four years ago after picking up three in three so far, two gold and one bronze. He has been the best-performing skier on the World Cup circuit this season and among the most consistent in Cortina, topping the standings across all events. Aigner comes into this race as the defending champion from Beijing, with form on his side. Giacomo Bertagnolli (ITA), guided by Andrea Ravelli, joins Aigner as the only men’s VI skier to appear on every podium in Italy, successfully defending his Super Combined title on home snow. The pair were side by side in this event in Beijing, Bertagnolli collecting silver. Kalle Ericsson (CAN), guided by Sierra Smith, has been the surprise package in what is his debut Games. The 21-year-old finished seventh in the overall World Cup standings but has gone on to medal in two races in Cortina. Giant Slalom was his strongest event across 2025/26, making him a real contender.

Men’s Standing has arguably thrown up the most surprises at these Games. Robin Cuche (SUI) and Arthur Bauchet (FRA) have both translated World Cup form well onto this stage. Cuche clinched his first-ever medals of the Paralympics with gold in Downhill and Super-G but will be hoping to bounce back following a DNF in the Super Combined. Bauchet, meanwhile, won that race while picking up a silver in the first outing in Cortina. He was on the podium for the Giant Slalom in Beijing, aiming to upgrade his bronze to a gold this time around after topping that standings for this race across 2025/26. Other than this pair – who were expected to contend at the top – there have been some unexpected podium finishes for the likes of Patrick Halgren (USA), who was 26th in the overall World Cup rankings this season. Thomas Grochar  (AUT) ranked higher in seventh, but his best result at the Paralympics had previously come 12 years ago in Sochi. 25-year-old Federico Pelizzari (ITA) proved the power of a home Games with his silver in the Super Combined, his first-ever medal on this stage. Giant Slalom is the Italian’s strongest race, so he could very well add to his tally yet.

Events in men’s Sitting have proven to be another great chapter of the rivalry between Jesper Pedersen (NOR) and Jeroen Kampschreur (NED). The former clinched the first gold on offer in Cortina with the Downhill race, one that the latter did not finish. Bouncing back in style, though, the Dutchman topped the podium in the Super-G and Super Combined, with Pedersen finishing second in the speed event. The Norwegian may be the defending champion, but this season it is Niels de Langen (NED) who has been the best-performing skier in the Giant Slalom and could very well contend for the title. Lou Braz-Dagand (FRA) and René De Silvestro (ITA) have also been in the top five competitors for the GS on the World Cup circuit, making for an exciting penultimate race in Cortina.

Banked Slalom

In the men's Banked Slalom Lower Limb 2, all eyes will be on Emanuel Perathoner (ITA) who was a class apart as he took Snowboard Cross gold. The two-time Winter Olympian, making his Paralympic debut here in Cortina, was perfect in Banked Slaloms on the World Cup circuit this season although this Paralympic contest is against the clock and not head-to-head.

Hoping to get into medal contention are SBX medalists Ben Tudhope (AUS), who was second to Perathoner in the World Cup standings, and Sun Qi (CHN). The North American challenge is led by Zach Miller (USA) and Alex Massie (CAN) who impressed on his way to the SBX final.

After missing out on the medals in Sunday's Snowboard Cross, Brenna Huckaby (USA) is now focused on defending her Banked Slalom LL2 title.

Huckaby was the quickest qualifier on Saturday, but dropped from first to third in the closing stages of her semi-final and had to race in the Small Final.

Having won LL1 gold at PyeongChang 2018, the 30-year-old is seeking a third consecutive Banked Slalom Paralympic title. But she was only third in this season's World Cup standings behind teammate Kate Delson (USA), and Lisa Bunschoten-Vos (NED) who opted to skip SBX and focus on this discipline.

And, of course, there is SBX gold medalist Cécile Hernandez (FRA) plus a strong Chinese challenge led by SBX bronze medalist Xinyu Wang.

In the men's LL1, SBX silver medalist Noah Elliott (USA) will be hoping to regain the title he won at PyeongChang 2018 in his favourite event. Elliott almost went the whole World Cup season unbeaten in Banked Slalom, but was pipped in the closing round by teammate 'Monster' Mike Schultz who makes his Paralympic farewell on Friday.

Schultz, who will be hoping to add to his gold and two silvers from two previous Games, has a special place in Paralympic history as his BioDapt Inc company has designed the prosthetic limbs used by him and many of his rivals.

The 44-year-old will be hoping to go out in style, but SBX gold medalist Zhongwei Wu is the defending champion in this discipline. Chris Vos (NED) and Tyler Turner (CAN) won silver and bronze four years ago, and will be hoping to bounce back from missing out on medals in SBX.

Lijia Ji (CHN) is bidding to repeat the Upper Limb SBX and Banked Slalom double he achieved at last year's World Championships in Big White (CAN).

The 23-year-old led home Yonggang Zhu to retain his Paralympic SBX title, and will hope to go one better than his Banked Slalom silver from four years ago. But World Cup winner Aron Fahrni (SUI) will hope to be in the mix after preventing a Chinese podium sweep on Sunday.

Defending champion Maxime Montaggioni (FRA) had a heavy fall in the SBX Small Final after colliding with Jacopo Luchini (ITA), but both men will be hoping to challenge the Chinese dominance.

Through My Eyes | A Special Letter

I Love Snow is a campaign that shines a light beyond results and podiums, focusing on the personal journeys that lead athletes to the Paralympic stage. In Through My Eyes | A Special Letter, selected competitors share their reflections on preparation, pressure and what it truly means to compete at these Games.

Today’s feature comes from Alexis Guimond (CAN), whose life was changed when he found Alpine Skiing. After overcoming a stroke he suffered when he was just 12, Guimond found his place on the snow. 

I Love Snow

“I LOVE Snow – Passion Beyond Limits” brings fans closer to the athletes and stories that power snow sports across every FIS discipline – Olympic and Paralympic alike. The promise: authentic and emotional storytelling that turns moments into lasting fandom beyond Milano Cortina 2026.