Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Sports: Your Complete Guide
Scoring, Classification & Rules Across 6 Sports, 79 Medal Events, and 665 Athletes
Last updated: March 3, 2026
The 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milano-Cortina feature 79 medal events across 6 sports: Para Alpine Skiing, Para Biathlon, Para Cross-Country Skiing, Para Snowboard, Wheelchair Curling, and Para Ice Hockey. Every Paralympic winter sport uses either a factored time system (where raw times are adjusted by classification factors) or unique rules that differ significantly from the Olympic versions. This hub guide explains how each sport works and links to detailed breakdowns of every scoring system.
What Sports Are in the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
Para Alpine Skiing — 30 medal events across Downhill, Super-G, Giant Slalom, Slalom, Super Combined, and Team Event. Athletes compete in three categories (standing, sitting, visually impaired) using a factored time system that adjusts raw finish times by classification-specific factors. The fastest skier on the clock doesn't always win.
Para Biathlon — 18 medal events combining cross-country skiing with rifle shooting. Visually impaired athletes shoot using an auditory targeting system — a sound that rises in pitch as the rifle aligns with the target center, with targets at 10 meters (vs 50m Olympic). Read the full Para Nordic guide.
Para Cross-Country Skiing — 20 medal events across sprint, middle-distance, and long-distance races plus relays. Uses the same classification system and factored time as biathlon. Read the full Para Nordic guide.
Para Snowboard — 8 medal events in Snowboard Cross (SBX) and Banked Slalom. Unlike Olympic freestyle snowboarding which is judged by panels scoring style, Paralympic snowboarding is pure racing — first across the line or fastest time wins. No judges, no style scores. Read the full Para Snowboard guide.
Wheelchair Curling — 2 medal events: team competition and mixed doubles (debuting in 2026!). Same scoring as regular curling, but with no sweeping — fundamentally changing the strategy. Read the full Wheelchair Curling guide.
Para Ice Hockey — 1 medal event (8-team tournament). Players sit in sleds and use two short sticks with spiked ends for propulsion and bladed ends for puck control. Unique penalties like teeing (charging with the sled) make it tactically distinct from regular hockey. Read the full Para Ice Hockey guide.
How Is Each Paralympic Sport Scored?
Each of the 6 Paralympic winter sports uses a distinct scoring system. Here's the complete overview — click through to the dedicated guide for each sport:
| Sport | Scoring System | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Para Alpine Skiing | Factored Time | Scoring Time = Raw Time × Factor; fastest clock ≠ winner |
| Para Biathlon | Factored Time + Penalty Loops | Each missed target adds a 150m penalty loop; 10m target distance |
| Para Cross-Country | Factored Time | Separate factors for Classic and Free technique |
| Para Snowboard | Pure Race Time (SBX) / Best of 3 Runs (Banked Slalom) | No judges, no style scores — 3 separate medal events per gender |
| Wheelchair Curling | Closest stone to button scores | No sweeping allowed; stones delivered from stationary wheelchair |
| Para Ice Hockey | Goals scored (same as regular hockey) | 3 × 15-minute periods; unique penalties include teeing and charging |
What Is the Factored Time System?
Three of the six Paralympic winter sports — Para Alpine Skiing, Para Biathlon, and Para Cross-Country Skiing — use a factored time system to determine results. The concept works like a golf handicap: each athlete's raw finish time is multiplied by a factor specific to their classification.
Formula: Scoring Time = Raw Time × Factor
Athletes with more severe impairments receive lower factors, which "speeds up" their time more than athletes with less severe impairments. This allows athletes across different classification levels to compete for the same medals. The factors are calculated by the IPC using median performance data from 400+ elite races over 4 years, and are updated annually with adjustments typically smaller than 1%.
For a detailed worked example showing how this system determines winners, see our Para Alpine Skiing Factored Time guide.
How Paralympic Classification Works
Every Paralympic athlete is assigned a classification code (like LW2, SB-LL1, or B3) that indicates their type and level of impairment. Classification ensures athletes compete against others with similar functional ability — similar to weight classes in boxing.
The classification system is sport-specific: a classification in one sport does not automatically apply to another. For a complete decoder of every code across all 6 winter sports, see our Paralympic Classification Explained guide.
| Sport | Categories | Total Classes | Factored Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Para Alpine Skiing | Standing (LW1–LW9), Sitting (LW10–LW12), Visually Impaired (AS1–AS4) | ~20 | Yes |
| Para Biathlon | Standing (LW1–LW9), Sitting (LW10–LW12), Visually Impaired (B1–B3) | ~14 | Yes |
| Para Cross-Country | Standing (LW1–LW9), Sitting (LW10–LW12), Visually Impaired (B1–B3) | ~14 | Yes |
| Para Snowboard | Upper Limb (SB-UL), Lower Limb Severe (SB-LL1), Lower Limb Less Severe (SB-LL2) | 3 | No |
| Wheelchair Curling | One class (lower body impairment) | 1 | No |
| Para Ice Hockey | One class (lower body impairment) | 1 | No |
Where and When Are the 2026 Paralympic Events?
The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics run from March 6 to March 15, 2026. Events are spread across multiple venues in northern Italy.
| Sport | Venue | Dates | Medal Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| Para Alpine Skiing | Cortina d'Ampezzo | March 7–15 | 30 |
| Para Biathlon | Tesero, Val di Fiemme | March 7–14 | 18 |
| Para Cross-Country Skiing | Tesero, Val di Fiemme | March 7–15 | 20 |
| Para Snowboard | Cortina d'Ampezzo | March 7–10 | 8 |
| Wheelchair Curling | Cortina d'Ampezzo | March 7–14 | 2 |
| Para Ice Hockey | Milan | March 7–15 | 1 |
What's New at 2026: Mixed Doubles Debut, AS1–AS4, Expanded Snowboard
Mixed Doubles Wheelchair Curling — The biggest addition to the 2026 program. Two-person teams (one man, one woman) play with 5 stones per end over 8 ends, with pre-positioned stones and a power play option. This format makes its Paralympic debut at Milano-Cortina.
New Vision Impaired Classifications in Alpine Skiing — The traditional B1–B3 vision impaired classes used in Nordic skiing have been replaced by the new AS1–AS4 system for alpine events, providing more granular classification for visually impaired skiers.
Expanded Para Snowboard Program — Both Snowboard Cross (SBX) and Banked Slalom now feature full medal events across all three classification categories (SB-UL, SB-LL1, SB-LL2), expanding opportunities for athletes with upper limb impairments.
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