ABOUT PARA-SNOWBOARD

IT’S ALL THE SAME. SAME GOAL- SAME SPORT- SAME COMMUNITY – SAME COACHING

 

This simple message represents Canada Snowboard’s vision, aiming to create a heightened awareness of para snowboarding in providing leadership both domestically (within Canada) and internationally and to develop a clearly defined and supported pathway of training and competition opportunities. This will ultimately lead snowboarding in Canada to become fully integrated; providing the same opportunities, support and expectations for all participants.

EVENT FORMAT

Para-snowboard events include male and female athletes living with a physical disability such as(but not limited to) spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy and amputation. There are two official disciplines in Para Snowboarding; Snowboardcross and Banked Slalom separated into different levels of competitions; Provincial events, Continental cups, World cups, World Championships and  Paralympic Winter Games.

PARA SNOWBOARDCROSS

During qualification, each athlete completes 2 runs down the course with their best run determining qualification results which seed the knock-out brackets. Finals consist of competitors racing in head-to-head heats of 2 to 4 athletes.

The ideal para snowboardcross (SBX) slope allows for the construction of all or some of the following terrain features:

• Banks (crescent-shaped)
• Doubled banks
• Rollers
• Offset rollers (single, double, triple, etc.)
• Minor jumps

Other terrain features can be built, but safety considerations and the riding level of the athletes must always be respected.

PARA BANKED SLALOM

Each athlete completes 2 runs down the course with their best run determining the final placing order, based on ascending time. There is only one rider at a time on the course. Banked Slalom attempts to replicate the spirit of surfing on a snowboard, with the course often set up in a gully, featuring racing gates on alternate banked turns.

INSTRUCTION/COACHING

The Canada Snowboard Coaching Program (CSCP) is Canada~Snowboard’s resource for the training and certification of snowboard coaches. The CSCP is a part of the Coaching Association of Canada’s National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). Detailed information on the CSCP is available here.

The CSCP’s integrated module for coaching athletes with a disability in snowboarding has been integrated into all Coaching Workshops.

OFFICIALS TRAINING PROGRAM

The purpose of the Officials Training Program is to provide snowboard officials with a greater understanding of the role they will assume during competition and to introduce them to the rules of snowboard competition, the International Rules of Competition (IRC) of the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS). For more information click here.

The Officials Training Program integrated module for officiating para-snowboard events has been integrated into all Official Workshops as of 2008. Any future official workshop will include the integrated module for officiating athletes with a disability.

 

CONTACT

If you are an adaptive athlete who is interested in the para snowboard pathway please complete our  CANADA SNOWBOARD ATHLETE CLASSIFICATION FORM or contact us directly at para@canadasnowboard.ca our team will be pleased to answer your questions.