Australia still has just one Winter Paralympic medal in Beijing and is staring down the prospect of achieving its worst medal tally since 1988 after para snowboard star Ben Tudhope finished ninth in the banked slalom.
Australia's shining light in Beijing after his snowboard cross bronze, Tudhope was unable to find enough speed in his second event to reach the podium again on Saturday.
Tudhope had it all to do in his second run after a slow start saw him deliver just the 10th fastest time in his first run, 2.29 seconds off leader Sun Qi and almost two seconds off the podium spots.
In banked slalom, only the fastest of two runs is counted, compared to ski disciplines that register combined times.
The 22-year-old was unable to find enough of an extra gear to reach the podium in his second run, moving just one spot up the order.
Sun, who Tudhope beat for bronze earlier in the week, claimed gold with snowboard cross champion Matti Suur-Hamari second and Great Britain's Ollie Hill rounding out the podium.
It was a particularly disappointing result for Tudhope, who had shaped as a serious medal prospect but failed to improve on seventh in PyeongChang.
Australia has recorded at least two medals at every Winter Paralympics from 1992 onwards, with two bronze medals at Sochi in 2014 the lowest mark since zero in 1988.
With only the slalom events remaining in para alpine skiing, PyeongChang dual bronze medallist Melissa Perrine shapes as Australia's best remaining medal prospect.
Tudhope's co-captain Perrine will attempt to ensure Australia avoids the unwanted one-medal result when she competes with sighted guide Bobbi Kelly in Saturday's women's vision impaired slalom.
