The event is set to continue the rapid progression of the sport since its debut at the Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi last year.

In his opening address, Sir Phillip mentioned this before specifying the athletes who helped their national governing bodies to get the discipline on the Paralympic programme, including Bibian Mentel-Spee, the Dutch champion due to be in attendance this week.

Mentel-Spee has had an incredible season once again as she had dominated in the newly-introduced women's lower-limb class SB-LL2 snowboard-cross and banked slalom World Cup campaign by winning every single one of her races.

The Dutchwoman faces stiff competition from Australian Joany Badenhorst, who has been her World Cup rival for the majority of the circuit, as well as the United States' Heidi-Jo Duce, while Astrid Fina looks to be one of the best prospects for the host nation.

The Championships are expected to attract 42 riders from 18 different countries across the snowboard-cross competition, which will see competitors go head-to-head for the first time.

The brand new discipline of banked slalom in both upper-limb and lower-limb impairment classifications will also be held.

American Evan Strong will compete for gold in the men's snowboard-cross alongside teammates Mike Shea and Keith Gabel ©Getty Images



Fans in attendance at La Molina will also be treated to a fascinating men's snowboard-cross field that includes Americans Evan Strong, Mike Shea and Keith Gabel.

The trio swept the Sochi 2014 podium as Strong took gold, Shea bagged Silver and Gabel came through to take bronze.

The likes of Finland's Matti Suur-Hamari and John Leslie of Canada will be hoping they do not monopolise the podium for the second major event running.

Elsewhere in the men's competition, Dutch banked slalom world number one Chris Vos takes on Italian Giuseppe Comunale in what is set to be one of the most tantalising contests at the event.

The women's SB-LL1 class will see French Sochi 2014 silver medallist Cecile Hernandez-Cervellon go up against American duo Nicole Roundy and Brenna Huckaby.

Races begin tomorrow with snowboard-cross for all classifications.

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