Mike Schultz Wins Two Golds At Para Snowboarding World Cup Stop In Big White

Mike Schultz celebrates after competing in the men's SB-LL1 big final at the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 on March 7, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China.

“Monster” Mike Schultz has four podiums from four world cup races so far this season.  
The St. Cloud, Minnesota, native won gold in both men’s banked slalom LL1 races during the world cup stop held Monday and Tuesday in Big White, British Columbia. 
The three-time Paralympic medalist finished a little more than two seconds ahead of Noah Elliott — an American who has two Paralympic medals to his name as well — in Monday’s event. Schultz won again by more than two seconds on Tuesday, giving him two golds to add to the two bronzes he won in the world cup season opener in Landgraaf, Netherlands, at the end of November.  
Schultz was far from the only medalist for Team USA in Big White, as six athletes took home a total of 11 medals from the event. 
Brenna Huckaby and Mike Minor each brought each won a gold and a silver on opposite days of the competition.
Huckaby, a four-time Paralympic medalist, came out flying on Monday, as her two runs in the women’s banked slalom LL1&2 were both fast enough to earn her a first-place finish. She won silver in the same event on Tuesday, finishing behind Lisa DeJong of Canada. 
Minor, a two-time Paralympic medalist, missed out on a gold on Monday by .20 seconds, barely finishing behind Maxime Montaggioni of France in the men’s banked slalom UL1. He responded with the two fastest runs on Tuesday to give him his first win of the season. 
Evan Strong and Darian Haynes each stayed consistent in the two days of competition. 
Strong, who’s won two Paralympic medals in three appearances, won bronze in both men’s banked slalom LL2 races. He finished behind winner Emanuel Perathoner of Italy and runner-up Ben Tudhope of Australia by less than a second on Monday. That podium remained unchanged Tuesday, earning Strong his third medal of the season. 
Haynes picked up two silvers in both women’s banked slalom UL1 races. The 22-year-old is making the transition from surfing to snowboarding and hopes to compete in the Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. 
The next Para snowboarding world cup event will be held Jan. 12-14 in Pyhatunturi, Finland.