A first Downhill on the famous Olimpia delle Tofane for the Para Alpine Skiing World Cup

It was a first and above all an important test in view of the Milano - Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games: athletes from the Para Alpine Skiing World Cup raced down the famous Olimpia delle Tofane slope, a few days after the usual speed events of the able-body Women's World Cup. A successful first experience for the organizing committee and FIS, as the tested course could be confirmed for the 2026 Paralympic downhill. The athletes were also very enthusiastic about being able to tackle this beautiful and challenging Olimpia delle Tofane slope and gained valuable insights from their two runs (one training run and one race) for their preparation for the upcoming Winter Paralympic Games.

"It's true that we were a little scared at first because we watched the women's races a few days ago [...], we saw that it was a physically demanding track. We didn't know exactly what to expect. In the end, the course is still a bit more winding, it breaks the speed a bit more. The snow, on the other hand, the surface, is very good. Grippy but still fast so it was a great day. Plus, everything is done to welcome us so it's pretty incredible to be here," explained Arthur Bauchet (FRA) after Monday's training run.

Tuesday's downhill saw an Italian team very comfortable on this home track. The duo Giacomo Bertagnolli (ITA) and his guide Andrea Ravelli (ITA) won in the Men Vision Impaired category, ahead of World Cup leader Johannes Aigner (AUT), second, and Hyacinthe Deleplace (FRA), third. Among the women, Martina Vozza (ITA) and her guide Ylenia Sabidussi (ITA) represented the Squadra Azzurra well by placing second behind the Korean duo Sara Choi and her guide Jung Sanghyun. Menna Fitzpatrick (GBR), accompanied by her guide Katie Guest (GBR), completed the podium. In the Women Standing category, as in the previous stage in Veysonnaz, it was a French double victory, but this time with Aurélie Richard as the winner, closely followed by her compatriot Marie Bochet, and Claire Petit (NED), third. On her part, Anna-Lena Forster was the only competitor in the Women Sitting category to reach the finish line of both the downhill and the super-G the next day.

Among the men, Andrew Kurka (USA) made a comeback to the top of the podium after Tuesday's downhill. "I’ve been off for two years, I came back into today and I was ready to send it, ready to show that I still have it. Luckily I did. And here we are, I’m really looking forward to Cortina, looking forward to the Games," he said in the finish area. The American managed to win in a very tight race as Kurt Oatway (CAN), second, and Niels De Langen (NED), third, were only 19 and 20 hundredths behind him, respectively. In the Men Standing category, the battle between Robin Cuche (SUI) and Arthur Bauchet (FRA) continues. The Swiss outperformed the Frenchman in the downhill, but the young Frenchman already took his revenge the next day by winning the super-G. Aaron Lindstroem (SWE) completed the podium in Tuesday's downhill, and Alexis Guimond (CAN) in Wednesday's super-G.

The super-G was also challenging as it was also raced on the Olimpia delle Tofane with a surface that remained very hard and fast despite the rising temperatures. Several athletes who did not start the day before managed to perform well, such as Eva Nikou (GRE), accompanied by her guide Dimitris Profentzas (GRE), who finished second in the Women Vision Impaired category behind Sara Choi (KOR) and her guide Sanghhyun Jung (KOR), and ahead of the British duo Menna Fitzpatrick and Katie Guest. It was also a successful first for the Swede Ebba Aarsjoe who won ahead of the French duo Marie Bochet and Aurélie Richard in the Women Standing category. "I was really nervous today. I’m usually never nervous. But I’m not really sure about my leg when it comes to Super-G. I was very focused and tried to do my thing… so I was really happy when I finished," she said before stepping onto the podium.

On the men's side, the Italian team was eager to once again make an impression and did so with a new podium for Giacomo Bertagnolli (ITA) and his guide Andrea Ravelli (ITA), this time beaten by the leaders of the category, Johannes Aigner (AUT) and his guide Nico Haberl (AUT). The Frenchman Hyacinthe Deleplace and his guide Roy Piccard again took the third step of the podium. But the victory of the day for the Italian team was achieved by Rene De Silvestro, clear winner of the Men Sitting category, ahead of Jeroen Kampschreur (NED) and Kurt Oatway (CAN).

The para-athletes will be back on the slopes tomorrow, this time for a slalom.