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Ben Tudhope’s stunning silver medal was the highlight, but Australia’s other three riders showed great courage and skill on snowboard cross medal day at the Milano Cortina Paralympic Winter Games.
Australian Paralympic Team captain Sean Pollard looked strong in winning his pre-heat in the SB-UL classification but fell agonisingly short of progressing from the quarter final, coming third behind eventual silver medallist Yonggang Zhi of China and Dean van Kooij of the Netherlands.
In the SB-LL1, Games debutant Aaron McCarthy produced a sound run to come in third in his quarter final. Meanwhile, Amanda Reid suffered a hard fall in her SB-LL2 pre-heat and went to hospital for scans on her bruised lower back.
Paralympics Australia medical staff said Reid remained in hospital on Sunday night for precautionary observation.
McCarthy was upbeat about his performance in front his family, who saw him race for the first time.
“That was probably my best run through the course. I’m pretty happy with how the race went for me,” he said.
“I just try and stay calm and have fun with it.”
Did you stay calm, he was asked. “No, I was super nervous at the top, but once we got started, I settled in pretty well, I think.”
As riders fell before him, McCarthy said he was there to “run my race”.
“Five weeks ago, I broke my collarbone racing border cross. The risks are there and we’ve all got to accept that.”
Pollard also admitted to nerves before his races.
“It obviously, it’s pretty nerve-wracking when you see competitors go down, really good riders as well, cream of the crop riders,” Pollard said.
“But with boardercross, you’ve got to pay your dues, and I’ve paid mine over the years. Sometimes your number’s up and, fortunately, I made it through safe and rode pretty well.
“The category is pretty tough, I’m versing people just missing one hand and I’m a double amputee. So, yeah, I’m the fastest no-handed man on the planet!”
Pollard competed in snowboard at the 2018 Paralympic Games.
“I took time off in 2021. I was in line to go to Beijing but birth of my daughter put things in perspective for me and that became my priority,” he said.
“I didn’t snowboard for three years from 2021 till the start of 2024.
“The decision to come back was a really tough one, one of the toughest I’ve made, because we sacrifice a lot doing this sport because we’re away for Northern Hemisphere Winter for weeks, months at a time.
“Having a young family makes it super tough. But I made the choice. I really missed the family time over the last couple of years, but I’ve enjoyed the experience the whole way and my family’s here today, so I’m just so stoked that they could come out and see the whole show.”
Australia’s Para snowboard team will be back in action for the banked slalom competition next Saturday March 14.
By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia
Published: 9 March 2026
