The 2026 Winter Paralympics are unprecedented for two major reasons. First, the joint awarding with the Olympic Winter Games has no precedent in the history of the Games. Secondly, even though Italy has already hosted two Paralympic events (Rome 1960 and Turin 2006), this will be the first time for the Ampezzo valley.
Ahead of this major event, the valley lift facilities are already equipped to welcome people with disabilities and allow them to reach the Dolomite summits, removing all architectural barriers.
For Milano-Cortina 2026, the Cortina Snowboard Park - on the legendary San Zan slope in the Socrepes area at the foot of the Tofane - will host the paralympic snowboard competitions. Eighty-five female and male athletes will compete over hurdles, ramps, jumps, grabs, and spins all set against an extraordinary natural backdrop.
Wheelchair curling tournaments will take place at the Olympic Ice Arena, whereas the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre will host the Paralympic alpine skiing events.
The Programme of the Events
Cortina d’Ampezzo will be one of the key venues of the XIV Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, scheduled from 6th to 15th March 2026, hosting some of the most spectacular disciplines, namely.
In addition to the Olympic competitions in women’s alpine skiing, curling, bobsleigh, skeleton and luge, Cortina will also host the Paralympic events of para alpine skiing, para snowboard and wheelchair curling.
The historic Olympia delle Tofane, a symbol of world alpine skiing, will stage the women’s alpine skiing competitions, including downhill, Super-G, giant slalom, slalom and the team combined event.
The renovated Cortina Sliding Centre, along the new track dedicated to Eugenio Monti, will host bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions.
Cortina will also play a leading role during the Winter Paralympic Games, reinforcing the message of inclusion and continuity between Olympic and Paralympic sport. Wheelchair curling will once again take place at the Olympic Ice Stadium, while the Olympia delle Tofane will host the men’s and women’s para alpine skiing events.
Finally, para snowboard competitions will be held at the Cortina Para Snowboard Park, located in Socrepes, along the historic San Zan slope in the Tofane ski area.
During the closing ceremony, Cortina will host international athletes and delegations at the Curling Center with a symbolic celebration of the mountains as a place of inclusion.
Inclusion 4.0: the Essential Role of Lift Facilities
Lift facilities not only connect slopes and ski areas, but they function as fully-fledged alternative mobility systems, encouraging movement for everyone
Cortina Skiworld addresses these new needs with concrete measures, promoting a spirit of inclusion that both anticipates and transcends the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
With particular attention to athletes, staff, and spectators, Cortina is committed to offering increasingly accessible services, starting with its lifts. The inclusive vision that drives the project translates into daily action: ensuring that every person can access spaces and services easily, safely, and comfortably
All areas of the ski domain are already accessible to people with disabilities, thanks to specially equipped lifts and dedicated trails. This allows visitors to reach the Dolomite peaks and enjoy shared experiences , through:
● adapted trails and sensory pathways, offering ways to experience nature through all senses;
● open-air museums, that narrate history and culture within the landscape;
● snow activities with specialized technical support, enabling the safe practise of sports and leisure activities.
An example is the Lagazuoi cablecar and the exhibition spaces of the Lagazuoi EXPO Dolomiti, equipped with ramps and lifts to ensure full access and allow everyone to visit the exhibitions.
From the mountain station, dedicated paths with a maximum gradient of 10% - accessible to people with reduced mobility and wheelchair or walking frame users - lead to Rifugio Lagazuoi, to historic military emplacements, and to the summit cross of Mt Piccolo Lagazuoi.
Ahead of the Games, accessible transport linking stations, car parks , and sports venues will also be enhanced.
Accommodation facilities partnering with the organizing committee will ensure rooms and shared spaces free of physical barriers. Lastly, both in winter and in summer, trails are designed to be accessible to everyone and, to help everyone to fully enjoy the mountains, monoskis and electric wheelchairs are available free of charge, an initiative by the S.e.a.m. company. Additional information is available at the link.
A Brief History of Paralympic Snowboarding
Paralympic Snowboarding made its debut at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, with two timed races - men’s and women’s - dedicated to athletes with lower limb impairments. The remarkable public and media success secured the discipline’s place in the Paralympic programme.
Since the 2018 PyeongChang Games, banked slalom has been added alongside snowboard cross.
It was in Korea that Italy won its first - and, so far, only - Paralympic snowboarding medal with Manuel Pozzerle’s silver in the snowboard cross event.
Since then, paralympic snowboarding has included two specialities:
