Para Snowboard is practised worldwide and features three disciplines: snowboard-cross, banked slalom and giant slalom.
Athletes combine speed and agility while racing down courses as fast as possible.
Competition includes male and female athletes with a physical impairment such as spinal injury, cerebral palsy and amputation.
— Banked slalom
Each athlete competes three runs down the course with their best run determining the final order based on ascending time. There is only one rider on the course at a time. The course may be a medium pitched slope. It may be preferably a naturally varying terrain, with plenty of bumps and dips, and preferably a U-shape/natural valley.
— Snowboard-cross (head-to-head)
During qualification, each athlete completes three runs down the course with their best run determining the final order based on ascending time. There is only one rider on the course at a time during qualification.
Finals consist of 16 men and eight women, with two competitors per heat or such other numbers as determined by the Jury. The ideal snowboard-cross may allow the construction of any features excluding: gap jumps, corner jumps, spines and double spines, cutting banks, giant slalom turns and negative banks.
— Snowboard-cross (time-trial)
Each athlete competes three runs down the course with their best run determining the final order based on ascending time. There is only one rider on the course at a time. As with head-to-head, the event takes place on a man-made course constructed from a variety of terrain features like bank turns. The course design is also the same as head-to-head.
— Giant slalom
Each athlete competes two runs down the course with the combined time determining the final order. There is only one rider on the course at a time. General characteristics and terrain of the course include a medium pitched slope, preferably with various grades. The course may be perfectly groomed and the snow surface may be compacted.
Athletes use equipment that is adapted to their needs.
Hypertonia | Impaired Muscle Power |
Ataxia | Leg Length Difference |
Athetosis | Impaired Passive Range of Movement |
Limb Deficiency |
In Para Snowboard athletes with a physical impairment compete in three sport classes.
SB-LL1 |
− Athletes with significant impairment in one leg or both legs, such as single above knee amputation, through knee amputation, double above knee amputation or significant muscle weakness or spasticity. − Athletes with amputations use a prosthesis to race. |
SB-LL2 |
− Athletes with impairment in one or both legs with less activity limitation, such as below knee amputation or mild spasticity. |
SB-UL |
− Snowboarders with upper limb impairment in at least one arm, such as muscle weakness or limb deficiency, that impacts upon balance whilst racing. |
Ireland currently does not have a Para Snowboard National Governing Body member of Paralympics Ireland
Governing Body | |
International | World Para Snowboard (WPSB) |
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