Peters Signs Off Milano Cortina 2026 With Fifth In The Giant Slalom
by Paralympics New Zealand · SCOOPParalympian #188 Corey Peters MNZM capped his competitive programme at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games by finishing fifth in the Men’s Giant Slalom Sitting to claim his third top six finish of the Games.
In challenging soft snow, he drew on his experience to deliver two clean runs, posting a combined time of 2:18.12 in an attritional race that saw 18 of the 37 starters fail to finish.
In a brilliant display of world-class sit-skiing, home favourite Rene de Silvestro of Italy added the Paralympic Men’s Giant Slalom title to his world crown, clocking 2:10.44. Dutchman Niels de Langen took silver (2:11.01), with defending champion Jesper Pedersen of Norway claiming bronze (2:14.59).
The 42-year-old Kiwi had earlier executed a calm and composed first run, handling the demanding conditions with aplomb to clock 1:08.64 — within 0.86 of a podium spot.
The difficult conditions caught out a number of Para alpine skiers, including highly fancied Dutch sit-skier Jeroen Kampschreur, a double gold medallist at Milano Cortina 2026, who crashed out.
On the second run, with the field starting in reverse order, Peters backed up his opening effort by skilfully navigating the course to cross the line in provisional gold, just 0.01 seconds ahead of Chile’s Nicolás Hudson Bisquertt. However, the next skier on course, Japan’s Takeshi Suzuki, went just 0.08 seconds faster to push Peters into provisional silver. By the time the final three competitors had completed their runs, the Kiwi had slipped to fifth overall.
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Peters, who finished fifth in the Men’s Downhill Sitting and sixth in the Men’s Super-G Sitting earlier in the programme at Milano Cortina 2026, said: “I’m pretty happy considering giant slalom isn’t my favoured event, but stoked to get down and get another finish under my belt and another top five. It was challenging conditions out there, so just to survive it was special.”
Reflecting on his overall performance at Milano Cortina 2026, he said: “When you come to a Games as an athlete you have high expectations. For me to come away without a medal is a little disappointing, but that’s sport. We can’t change the results now and it is going to take some slightly better skiing next time in order to get on the podium.”
The other Kiwi in action today, Paralympian #158 Adam Hall MNZM, opened his competitive programme at Milano Cortina by placing 22nd in the Men’s Giant Slalom Standing. The six-time Paralympian achieved a combined time of 2:30.05 as Arthur Bauchet (2:07.76) of France clinched his second gold medal of the Games and the fifth Paralympic gold medal of his career with a dominant display.
Competing for the first time in the Men’s Giant Slalom Standing at a Paralympic Winter Games since his debut at Torino 2006, the Wānaka-based Hall produced a composed opening run, clocking 1:15.38 to sit 23rd at the halfway stage.
In his second run, Hall was similarly clean, registering 1:14.67 to advance one place in the overall standings and gain valuable time competing on the slopes of the Olimpia delle Tofane ahead of his premier event, the Men’s Slalom Standing, which takes place on Sunday (15 March).
Hall, a five-time Paralympic medallist, said: “For me doing this event was never about pushing for a podium but to gain an insight and intel for what may lie ahead on Sunday in the slalom. Today was all about getting my head around the conditions and blowing away the cobwebs before going all guns blazing in the slalom.”
Robin Cuche of Switzerland took silver (2:09.72), with Aleksei Bugaev of Russia claiming bronze (2:11.14).
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