Impairment Information |
Type of Impairment |
Limb deficiency |
Origin of Impairment |
Congenital |
Classification |
SB-UL |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Montemurlo, ITA |
Occupation |
Athlete, Coach, Public Servant |
Languages |
English, Italian, Spanish |
Higher education |
Political Science - University of Florence: Italy |
Sport Specific Information |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
He began snowboarding at age 14 at Monte Cimone, Italy. |
Why this sport? |
Having previously practised swimming and football, he switched to snowboard because he enjoyed spending time in the mountains. "Snowboarding means everything to me. It's my big passion and now it's also my job. I have been able to experience so many beautiful moments through snowboarding over the years and visit places I probably would never have seen otherwise. One thing is for sure, my love for snowboarding is unconditional and it has been like that from the very first moment I stepped on a board." |
Club / Team |
Sci Club Paralimpic Cimone: Modena, ITA |
Name of coach |
Igor Confortin [national], ITA |
General Interest |
Hobbies |
Surfing, skateboarding. (Athlete, 04 Mar 2022) |
Memorable sporting achievement |
Placing first in the SB-UL snowboard cross overall classification for the 2018/19 and 2021/22 World Cup seasons, and in banked slalom for the 2021/22 World Cup season. (Athlete, 04 Mar 2022; IPC, 14 Feb 2022, 30 Jun 2019; paralympic.org, 14 Feb 2022) |
Most influential person in career |
His uncle. (Athlete, 04 Mar 2022) |
Hero / Idol |
Italian snowboarder Michela Moioli. (Athlete, 04 Mar 2022) |
Injuries |
In March 2021 he sustained a knee injury that kept him out of action for two months. The injury did not prevent him from competing at the 2021 World Cup Finals in Colere, Italy. (paralympic.org, 31 Mar 2021) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"Train as if you've never won, compete as if you've never lost." (Athlete, 04 Mar 2022) |
Awards and honours |
In 2019 he received an award in the sports category at the Italian Sports and Social Associations [ASI] Prato Awards in Italy. (asinazionale.it, 31 Jul 2019)
In 2018 he was recipient of the Silver Medal for Sports Value from the Italian Paralympic Committee. (repubblica.it, 18 Dec 2020) |
Ambitions |
To compete at the 2022 and 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, and to become a coach in the sport. (repubblica.it, 18 Dec 2020) |
Impairment |
He was born without his left hand. (Athlete, 10 Mar 2018; comune.montemurlo.po.it, 29 Feb 2016) |
Other information |
COVID-19 IMPACT
He was leading the overall and banked slalom rankings of the 2019/20 World Cup ahead of the World Cup Finals in Hafjell, Norway, in March 2020. When he arrived in Hafjell with the Italian national team, Norwegian health authorities issued an alert that required anyone arriving from high-risk COVID-19 areas, which at that time included northern Italy, to quarantine for 14 days or return home. Only one race [banked slalom] ultimately took place at the World Cup Finals, but because he could not compete, he eventually finished third in the overall rankings and second overall in banked slalom in the 2019/20 World Cup. "I found out that I couldn't compete in Hafjell as soon as I arrived there, not a moment before. Hearing this news was like a punch in the stomach, I felt terrible. Without the option to compete, I came away feeling helpless to the situation. This season [2019/20] has gone really well, but it could have gone better because I could've taken home two Crystal Globes. Instead, I came home without a title." (paralympic.org, 11 Sep 2020)
SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTOR
In 2020 he spent time studying to become a snowboard instructor, which he says has helped him improve as an athlete. "This course, which was financially, mentally, and physically taxing due to the high standards for certification in Italy, challenged me in ways that pushed me to grow as an athlete. I felt stronger, both mentally and physically, because I spent more time on the slopes and studying the discipline of snowboarding." (paralympic.org, 11 Sep 2020)
OCCUPATION
He works full-time in an Italian government agency, and is allowed to take the northern hemisphere winter months off so he can compete. (abruzzoweb.it, 23 Dec 2021; repubblica.it, 18 Dec 2020; paralympic.org, 11 Sep 2020) |
World Championships |
| Rank |
Year |
Event |
Result |
| 3 |
2016/2017 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 5 |
2016/2017 |
Banked Slalom - Upper Limb Impaired |
1:12.56 |
| 3 |
2018/2019 |
Banked Slalom - Upper Limb Impaired |
51.84 |
| 4 |
2018/2019 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 2 |
2018/2019 |
Snowboard Cross Team Event |
|
| 2 |
2021/2022 |
Banked Slalom - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 5 |
2021/2022 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 9 |
2021/2022 |
Snowboard Cross Team Event |
|
Paralympic Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Event |
Result |
| 4 |
2018 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 4 |
2018 |
Banked Slalom - Upper Limb Impaired |
52.02 |
| 6 |
2022 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 5 |
2022 |
Banked Slalom - Upper Limb Impaired |
1:10.28 |
World Cup Finals |
| Rank |
Year |
Event |
Result |
| 10 |
2015/2016 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 8 |
2015/2016 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 9 |
2015/2016 |
Banked Slalom - Upper Limb Impaired |
1:09.39 |
| 10 |
2016/2017 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 9 |
2016/2017 |
Banked Slalom - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 3 |
2017/2018 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
1:08.15 |
| 2 |
2017/2018 |
Banked Slalom - Upper Limb Impaired |
1:17.08 |
| 5 |
2018/2019 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
| 5 |
2018/2019 |
Snowboard Cross - Upper Limb Impaired |
|
