Source : ABC NEWS
Australian para-snowboard star Ben Tudhope says he has surprised himself by claiming his second Milano Cortina Games medal.
Tudhope added another bronze medal to his Paralympics haul after finishing third from two runs in the men’s banked slalom SB-LL2 event in Cortina on Friday.
Dominant local hero Emanuel Perathoner finished the course in 54.28 seconds to win gold for Italy, with Switzerland’s Fabrice von Gruenigen trailing by 2.01 seconds for silver.
Tudhope finished a further 1.04 seconds behind von Gruenigen to win his, and Australia’s second medal of the Games, having won silver in the men’s snowboard cross.
It was the third Paralympic medal of Tudhope’s career, having also won a bronze in the men’s snowboard cross at Beijing 2022.
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Tudhope clinched an equal-best finish for Australia in the men’s banked slalom, with Simon Patmore winning SB-UL bronze at the 2018 PyeongChang Paralympics.
Patmore is the only Australian to win Paralympic snowboard cross gold, also doing so in 2018.
Tudhope, who was born with cerebral palsy that causes partial paralysis on his left side, has now won Australia’s last three medals at the winter Paralympic Games.
The Sydneysider’s SB-LL2 snowboard cross bronze was also the country’s only medal at the 2022 Beijing Games.
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Tudhope said he had not expected to win another medal, let alone one in the banked slalom event, after a sub-par seventh-placed finish in the 2025/26 World Cup season.
Memories of his banked slalom run at the Beijing Games, where he finished ninth, also ran through Tudhope’s mind.
“It was so unexpected. I thought maybe I could get one. The season hasn’t been the best for me,” Tudhope said.
“I’ve had more times off the podium than I have on, and probably in the last few seasons, it’s been one of my worst.
“In the back of my head, banked slalom, I’ve never performed that at a Paralympic Games.
“Compared to Beijing, I think, ‘Gosh, that was one of my worst performances in that four-year cycle.’
“I definitely wanted to be able to put on a show here, and that’s what I did.”
Tudhope returned to competition after dislocating his right shoulder just five days before in the snowboard cross.
Two-time Olympian Perathoner has proved a mighty rival for Tudhope, with the Italian winning two Paralympics gold medals on debut.
Perathoner, 39, suffered an injury to his left leg while training for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
He required a knee replacement as part of four surgeries.
Perathoner had won nine out of 10 World Cup races in the lead-up to the Milano Cortina Games, but Tudhope said the Italian was not untouchable.
Ben Tudhope (left), Emanuel Perathoner (centre) and Fabrice von Gruenigen (right) celebrate after the snowboard men’s banked slalom SB-LL2. (AP: Evgeniy Maloletka)
“I always strive for gold,” Tudhope said.
“And Perathoner, he’s a great competitor, but he’s not unbeatable.
“There’s been instances where I have got him in the past.
“I will continue to improve my skills, improve my snowboarding to be the best I can be.
“And if that makes me a gold medallist, if that makes me a medallist, I will just continue to grow and learn from all of my experiences.”
Asked of his celebrations, Tudhope said: “Beers, beers, beers, beers, beers.”
Also on Friday, Australian para-alpine skier Josh Hanlon finished 10th in the men’s giant slalom sitting after veteran Michael Milton withdrew following his course inspection.
Australia’s Sean Pollard competes in the para-snowboard Men’s Banked Slalom SB-UL. (AP: OIS/IOC/Tyler McFarland)
The self-styled “fastest no-handed man on the planet” and Australian captain Sean Pollard was 12th in the SB-UL event, and debutant Aaron McCarthy finished 13th in the SB-LL1.
Australia did not have a woman compete in the banked slalom after Amanda Reid withdrew after crashing out of the women’s SB-LL2 snowboard cross pre-heat last Sunday.
In Tesero, Lauren Parker finished eighth in the women’s biathlon sprint pursuit final as US heavyweight Oksana Masters finished sixth behind gold medallist and compatriot Kendall Gretsch.
Dave Miln missed out on the top 24 and finished 25th in the men’s sitting qualifying, ahead of fellow Australian debutant Matt Brumby in 27th.
Taryn Dickens missed the top-12 cut-off in the women’s vision impaired event, finishing 13th with guide Lynn Maree Cullen.
AAP
