Five takeaways from the Para Snowboard World Championships
More than 60 athletes competed at the Para Snowboard World Championships, which took place from 4-10 March 13 Mar 2025
The 2025 FIS Para Snowboard World Championships, held from 4-10 March, saw more than 60 athletes battling for the podium just one year before the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. With thrilling moments and displays of sporting excellence across all eight medal events, the competition in Big White, Canada, was truly unforgettable.
Here are our takeaways from the Para Snowboard World Championships:
Ji Lijia leads China’s medal haul
Ji Lijia led China’s medal haul, winning gold in the banked slalom and snowboard cross events in the men’s SB-UL category. Three years after dominating the medals table at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, Chinese Para snowboarders claimed 10 medals in Big White.
China swept the podium in the men’s snowboard cross SB-UL event, with Ji winning gold, Wang Pengyao earning silver and Zhu Yonggang taking bronze.
Li Tiantian topped the podium in the women’s banked slalom SB-LL1/SB-LL2 after beating Dutch star Lisa Bunschoten in the big final. Jaclyn Hamwey took bronze.
Athletes say excitement is building for Milano Cortina 2026
With one year to go until Milano Cortina 2026, many athletes said competing at the World Championships helped them prepare for next year’s Games. The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games will feature up to 85 athletes competing in eight Para snowboard medal events.
France’s Maxime Montaggioni said the World Championships was a significant stop in his preparation for Milano Cortina 2026.
“For me, (the course in Big White) is very beautiful; it’s very technical, so it will help us go to Milano Cortina 2026 and be ready. This kind of event is very important for us because Big White is my favourite place. I won one of my first world titles and some World Cups here,” Montaggioni said before his competition.
“Milano Cortina will be an achievement because I think it will be my last competition. It will be important for me to finish with a good result,” he said. “I think I’ll enjoy it because (the Games) are close to my house because I live in Nice, so I think my friends will come to join us.”
Canada’s two-time Paralympian Sandrine Hamel said, “It’s good to be racing in banked slalom and snowboard cross at the same event, so I think that helps us get used to what we are going to experience at the next Games.”
“It’s exciting for us to be competing on home soil. My first world champs were in Big White in 2017, right before the Games, so it’s cool to do the same thing again, but almost 10 years later.”
Italy’s Emanuel Perathoner is ready to impress at home Games
Emanuel Perathoner was unstoppable in the men’s LL2 category. The Italian rider, who won individual gold and silver at the 2023 Worlds in La Molina, topped the podium twice in Big White.
In banked slalom, he dispatched Takahito Ichikawa in the quarters, Zach Miller in the semis, and Qi Sun in the final, each time with several seconds to spare—making him the fastest rider across all categories.
Perathoner was also unbeaten in the snowboard cross, winning every heat to secure his second World Championship title in Canada. China’s Sun Qi claimed silver, and Australia’s Ben Tudhope took bronze.
“It feels amazing!” Perathoner said. “Two years ago, I made a mistake in the snowboard cross, so I wanted this gold medal so badly. Finally, I got it, and I’m super happy!
“In the final run, I was thinking about my Chinese opponent because he was way faster at the start. I tried to get ahead, but he dropped first again and was first on bank one, so I had to fight for it. I knew I was faster in the lower section, so I stayed relaxed.”
Irati Idiakez Lopez and Monika Kotzian take spotlight
Poland’s Monika Kotzian and Spain’s Irati Idiakez Lopez each won a gold and a silver in the women’s SB-UL category in Big White.
In the banked slalom, Kotzian cruised through the semifinals against Darian Haynes of the United States, while Idiakez Lopez defeated Anna Drobna of Poland. Despite being a second slower than in her semifinal, Kotzian claimed victory, capitalizing on Idiakez Lopez’s fall on her final run. Drobna captured bronze for her first World Championships medal.
Four days later, Idiakez Lopez rebounded from her banked slalom final fall to secure gold in the snowboard cross, finishing ahead of Kotzian and Drobna, who took silver and bronze, respectively.
Tyler Turner wins for hosts in Big White
Tyler Turner won the hosts’ only gold medal in Big White. In the men's snowboard cross SB-LL1, he cruised through the semifinals before finishing ahead of overall World Cup globe winner Noah Elliott in the final. Japan’s Daichi Oguri took bronze.
“It’s pretty freaking cool being in Canada for the World Championships,” the Beijing 2022 Paralympic champion told FIS. “It’s a lot of stress with my family here, but winning on home soil is incredible.”
“This is actually my third World Championships gold, and there was a lot of pressure knowing I could do it if I performed. Racing is unpredictable, so I’m just relieved and excited to take this medal home.”
Secure your tickets for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games
The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, which will take place from 6-15 March, will feature six sports - Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing, Para ice hockey, Para snowboard and wheelchair curling.
Tickets are now available on tickets.milanocortina2026.org.
