Oregon athletes Anna Soens and Ravi Drugan took part in the para alpine skiing downhill event at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics. Drugan placed eighth with a time of 1:26.09, while Soens crashed and did not finish her run. This marks the start of their participation in five events at the games.
The para alpine skiing downhill competition unfolded early Saturday at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d’Ampezzo, beginning at 12:30 a.m. PST. Ravi Drugan, from Eugene, completed the course in the sitting category, securing eighth position. Anna Soens, also competing in sitting, encountered a crash during her downhill run and was unable to finish.
Para alpine skiing divides athletes into sitting, standing, and visually impaired groups. In the sitting division, competitors use monoskis or sleds and can exceed speeds of 60 miles per hour. Both Soens and Drugan have qualified for all five events in this category: alpine combined sitting, giant slalom sitting, Super-G sitting, and slalom sitting.
Soens sustained a back injury from a fall at a Portland indoor rock climbing gym approximately 10 years ago. She later achieved a milestone as the first paraplegic woman to reach the summit of Mount Hood. Drugan, who aspired to compete in the X Games as a skateboarder, lost both legs above the knee at age 14 following an incident with a train. The pair developed their skiing skills via Oregon Adaptive Sports in Bend.
Upcoming competitions for Soens and Drugan include:
- Super-G sitting on Monday, March 9, starting at 1:30 a.m.
- Slalom sitting on Tuesday, March 10, at 1 a.m.
- Women's giant slalom sitting on Thursday, March 12, with runs at 1 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.
- Men's giant slalom sitting on Friday, March 13, with runs at 1 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.
- Additional slalom events on March 14 and 15.
Coverage of the Paralympics is available through NBC affiliates, USA Network, CNBC, and Peacock streaming.
