Para Ski and Snowboard - 2026 Domestic Season Wrap

The 2026 Australian Para Snowsports season was one of growth, from first-time participants stepping into their boots to Paralympic athletes developing their skills ahead of the Northern Hemisphere World Cup season. Across multiple camps, and events, the season showed how far the Australian para pathway is stretching. Despite (at times) limited snow, Para Pathways had the busiest season to date, with funding from Paralympics Australia (PA) and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) supporting Snow Australia in the running of Adaptive Festivals and Futures Fundamentals Camps to eliminate barriers to participation and growth for Para athletes, which complemented the traditional Development Camps and High Performance training, and will bring the next cohort of Para athletes into the system. 

Adaptive Festivals

Off the back of successful introduction last year, this season Snow Australia ran four Adaptive Festivals: Thredbo in June to kick start the season, Falls Creek in July, Mt Buller in August and Perisher in Spring to round out the action. Across all four Adaptive Festivals, 40 new participants were introduced to the sport in a fun and friendly camp environment.

Futures Fundamentals Camps

A new initiative this season, to bridge the gap from first days on snow to recreational racing, and offering critical focused time on snow in a supportive environment. The two camps held at Falls Creek and Mt Hotham enabled the participants to explore and develop skills as well as their love for the sport. Milano-Cortina Paralympian Liana France also joined the Falls Creek camp, mentoring participants and sharing her experiences of what is possible.

Development Camps

The season began with the Snowboard Development Camp at Perisher, which brought athletes together for several days of focused training. The camp combined on-snow coaching with video analysis, strength and conditioning, and yoga to build technical skills, physical preparation and performance. It also gave athletes the chance to connect with their team while laying solid foundations for the season ahead.

Over the season there was a series of 5 camps (Snowboard and Alpine) aimed to get the Emerging Talent Program (ETP) athletes more focused time on snow and give opportunity to other athletes moving through the pathway to experience the Daily Training Environment (DTE). 

Multiclass and Open Class events

Perisher hosted the Multiclass Open Class events at regional, state and National levels this season, during the Interschools Snowsports Championships. The events showcased the spirit of participation and achievement, with more than 35 participants taking on the Alpine and GS course. Six-time Winter Paralympian Michael Milton took to the course, as a forerunner for the State event and presented medals at the awards ceremony. 

The events give individuals the opportunity to experience competitive snowsports at both a recreational and competitive level, and welcome competitors from kindergarten through to year 12 in the Multiclass events and for those not at school the Open Class offers a unique opportunity for competition. 

Para Snowboard

The High Performance team trained in camps at both Jindabyne (NSTC, Perisher and Thredbo) and Mt Hotham. A strong focus on building skills and cementing fundamentals to be in a solid place moving into the international season, World Cups and World Championships as the major focus in March 2027. The ETP group also joined in for lots of training in development camps and alongside the National Team in Perisher. Unfortunately, the National Championship event (planned for Thredbo in early August) was not able to run due to snow conditions, but the International Classification event was able to be completed, and three new athletes are internationally classified and set for the international stage. 

Para Alpine 

The Para Alpine National Championships welcomed new para racers alongside experienced for two fun days of racing at Perisher in parallel to the FIS Alpine NC races.

Oliverth Reyes Sanches posted strong results across the event despite only clipping into skis a year ago, while Zara Perry made her debut with guide Lara Gilson, finishing just behind Paralympian Georgia Gunew.

Alongside the championships, Snow Australia ran a Para Development & Classification Camp at the National Snowsports Training Centre (NSTC) and Perisher. The camp offered education sessions and on-snow coaching to introduce athletes to a daily training environment. With a strong group of Para Alpine athletes on the FIS pathway, Snow Australia will look to build on this momentum as athletes turn their attention to the Northern Hemisphere season.

Finsko’s Cup and Adaptive Festival

Para Snowsports closed its season at Perisher on September 12-13 with the second annual Finsko's Cup and Snow Australia's fourth Adaptive Festival, a weekend of racing, participation and celebration on Front Valley. The Cup drew 138 entries and raised funds to support Para Development Athletes. The race is named in honour of Ron Finneran OAM, the unofficial godfather of adaptive snowsports in Australia and the country's first Paralympic Winter Games representative.

Madagascar won the ski teams and Chalet Sonnenhof the snowboard team event. Julian Susa and Tiffany Gorman were the fastest male and female skiers, Jackson Landon-Smith and Charlotte Gorman took the junior ski titles, and Ayden Brownhill and Matilda Milsom led the snowboard fields. 

Perisher Winter Sports Club athletes also trialled adaptive equipment and simulated impairments, including outriggers, one-ski skiing, limited vision and guided skiing, to better understand the experience of Para athletes.

Alongside the racing, eight new participants learnt to ski and ride at the final Adaptive Festival of the season, supported by Disabled Wintersport Australia (DWA) and Perisher Snowsports instructors, making it a fitting finale to another great winter season.