Amy Purdy competes at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games.
About Para Snowboarding
Paralympic Snowboarding consists of two events: snowboardcross and banked slalom. Snowboardcross (also Snowboarder X, SBX, Boarder cross, Boarder-X or BX) is a snowboard competition that first consists of time-trial; three runs down a course, only one rider at a time with their best run determining their placement for head-to-head brackets. Finals consist of two competitors per heat, fastest rider to the finish advances. The ideal snowboard cross consists of features excluding: gap jumps, corner jumps, spines and double spines, cutting banks, giant slalom turns, and negative banks.
In banked slalom, each athlete gets three runs down the course with their best run determining the final results 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.
Athletes compete in three categories based on their functional ability – SB-LL1 and SB-LL2 for lower-limb impaired riders and SB-UL for upper-limb impaired athletes. Snowboarders use equipment that is adapted to their needs including snowboard and orthopedic aids. World Para Snowboard acts as the international federation for the sport which is coordinated by the World Para Snowboard Sport Technical Committee.
Para Snowboard was initially governed by the World Snowboard Federation (WSF), but after a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2010 it was taken under World Para Alpine Skiing with a view to continue working with the WSF to develop the sport. At the moment, World Para Snowboard also has a co-operation agreement with FIS collaborating on the development and technical aspects.
Paralympic Winter Games Host Cities
1976 - Örnsköldsvik, Sweden
1980 - Geilo, Norway
1984 - Innsbruck, Austria
1988 - Innsbruck, Austria
1992 - Tignes - Albertville, France
1994 - Lillehammer, Norway
1998 - Nagano, Japan
2002 - Salt Lake City, United States
2006 - Turin, Italy
2010 - Vancouver, Canada
2014 - Sochi, Russia
2018 - Pyeongchang, South Korea
2022 - Beijing, China
2026 - Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
Paralympic Winter Games Sports
Alpine Skiing
Nordic Skiing (Biathlon and Cross-country skiing)
Sled Hockey
Snowboarding
Wheelchair Curling
Team USA Total Medals by Paralympic Winter Games
Year - Host City - Total Medals - Gold, Silver, Bronze
2018 - Pyeongchang, South Korea - 36 - 13 gold, 15 silver, 8 bronze
2014 - Sochi, Russia - 18 - 2 gold, 7 silver, 9 bronze
2010 - Vancouver, Canada - 13 - 4 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze
2006 - Turin, Italy - 12 - 7 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze
2002 - Salt Lake City, United States - 43 - 10 gold, 22 silver, 11 bronze
1998 - Nagano, Japan - 34 - 13 gold, 8 silver, 13 bronze
1994 - Lillehammer, Norway - 43 - 24 gold, 12 silver, 7 bronze
1992 - Tignes - Albertville, France - 45 - 20 gold, 16 silver, 9 bronze
1988 - Innsbruck, Austria - 30 - 7 gold, 17 silver, 6 bronze
1984 - Innsbruck, Austria - 35 - 7 gold, 14 silver, 14 bronze
1980 - Geilo, Norway - 6 - 4 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
1976 - Örnsköldsvik, Sweden - 0
Team USA Total Snowboarding Medals by Games
Year - Host City - Total Medals - Gold, Silver, Bronze
2018 - Pyeongchang, South Korea - 13 - 5 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze
2014 - Sochi, Russia - 4 - 1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze *
* Snowboarding was introduced to the Paralympic Winter Games program in 2014, as a part of alpine skiing. Snowboard-cross was the lone event, consisting of a men's and women's field.