Source: Radio New Zealand
Corey Peters in action at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Italy. © Photosport 2026 Jeff Crowe / Photosport
New Zealand’s Corey Peters has finished the Winter Paralympic with a fifth placing in the men’s giant slalom sitting, while compatriot Adam Hall has finished 22nd in the giant slalom standing.
Peters’ effort has left him without a medal at the Milano Cortina Games, but with three top-six finishes.
In conditions he described as challenging, after the slushy snow had salt added, Peters produced two clean runs, posting a combined time of 2m 18.12s in an event that saw only 19 of 37 athletes finish.
Peters, 42, had a tidy first run and held the early lead, after another good run in the second, but his time was overtaken by later skiers.
Italian world champion Rene de Silvestro won the event, with Dutchman Niels de Langen second and defending champion Jesper Pedersen of Norway third.
“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,” Peters said. “It was challenging conditions out there, so just to survive it was special.”
Peters, who won gold in the downhill sitting event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics, finished fifth in the downhill sitting and sixth in the Super-G sitting over the past week.
He has four Paralympics medals from past Games.
“For me to come away without a medal [here] 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.”
Hall – like Peters, Wānaka-based – was competing in the giant slalom standing for the first time at a Winter Paralympics, since his debut at Torino 2006.
He had two clean runs in the event, which was a forerunner for his favoured slalom standing, scheduled overnight Sunday/Monday NZT.
“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,” Hall said.
“Today was all about getting my head around the conditions and blowing away the cobwebs, before going all guns blazing in the slalom.”
Frenchman Arthur Bauchet was a dominant winner of Hall’s event.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
