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The first medals of the Games will be awarded in Cortina with the women’s and men’s Para-Alpine skiing<\/b> downhill events across all three categories – visually impaired, standing and sitting – at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre.<\/p>\n
In the men’s visually impaired competition (09:50), Neil Simpson and his brother and guide Andrew will be hoping to make a solid start to their busy programme in what is probably not their strongest event, though they have had a couple of World Cup podium finishes this season.<\/p>\n
Fred Warburton and James Hannan go in the same event at their first Paralympics.<\/p>\n
Warburton is a former decathlete who was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition six years ago and only made his first race start in February 2025. <\/p>\n
The women’s visually impaired race starts the programme at 08:30. This is not Menna Fitzpatrick and guide Katie Guest’s best event, though Fitzpatrick won a world title back in 2019.<\/p>\n
Fitzpatrick, who is Britain’s most decorated Winter Paralympian with six medals, has recovered from a broken leg and knee injury over the past 18 months to compete in Italy while Guest will be making her Games debut after missing Beijing following a positive Covid test.<\/p>\n
Simpson, Warburton, Fitzpatrick and all of their rivals in the VI categories will make their way down the course following a guide who communicates instructions via radio.<\/p>\n
Canada’s Mollie Jepsen will defend her women’s standing title, but it is the participation of one of her main rivals – Varvara Voronchikhina – that has led to a lot of discussion.<\/p>\n