Para sport in review: January 2017

World Para Alpine Skiing Championships

The last major event before the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games took place in Tarvisio, Italy, with around 110 skiers from 30 countries competing.

Germany’s Andrea Rothfuss delivered one of the stand-out performances by winning two golds against France’s multiple world champion Marie Bochet in the women’s standing. The Netherlands’ Jeroen Kampschreur claimed three titles in the men’s sitting at his first Worlds at only 17 years old.

• Downhill

• Super-G

• Super combined

• Giant slalom

• Slalom

Para Alpine Skiing World Cups

The third World Cup took place in Innerkrems, Austria, from 11-15 January, with home skier and world champion Claudia Loesch and Great Britain’s Millie Knight leaving undefeated.

• Review 1

• Review 2

• Review 3

Alpine skiers from the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Canada, the USA, Italy and Germany reached the top of the podium at the fourth World Cup in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, between 18-20 January.

• Review 1

• Review 2

• Review 3

Para Alpine Skiing Europa Cup

Switzerland’s Robin Cuche, Spain’s Jon Santacana Maiztegui, France’s Frederic Francois and Germany’s Anna-Maria Rieder shined on the slopes in Veysonnaz, Switzerland, from 7-9 January.

Para Nordic Skiing World Cup

Ukrainian skiers dominated the second World Cup on home soil in Western Center, with multiple Paralympic champion Oleksandra Kononova sweeping all cross-country and biathlon events in the women’s standing. In the men’s standing, France’s Benjamin Daviet won all three biathlon races and put further distance between himself and the other skiers in the overall rankings.

• Cross-country middle distance

• Cross-country long distance freestyle

• Cross-country sprint freestyle

• Biathlon sprint

• Biathlon middle-distance

World Para Snowboard World Cup

Japan’s Gurimu Narita, and the USA’s Mike Minor and Brenna Huckaby went unbeaten in Lake Tahoe, USA.

• Review 1

• Review 2

World Para Snowboard NorAm Cup

Home athletes dominated the event in Lake Tahoe, USA, on 25 January.

Australian Open

Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez, Japan’s Yui Kamiji and Australia’s Dylan Alcott claimed the men’s, women’s and quad singles titles, respectively, at the first wheelchair tennis Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne, Australia.

Full review.

Apia International Sydney Open

The first ITF Super Series of the year saw Dutch player Jiske Griffioen win her fifth consecutive title in the women’s singles, Frenchman Nicolas Peifer claim the men’s singles and Australian Dylan Alcott seal his third consecutive title.

Melbourne Open

In the lead-up to the Australian Open, Argentinian player Fernandez won the singles and doubles titles at the Melbourne Open.

Pajulahti Games

Rio 2016 champions Lithuania won the men’s goalball competition in Lahti, Finland, whilst Israel sealed gold in the women’s event. Full review.