In a pressure cooker of a World Cup final, two-time Olympian Chase Josey delivered under the lights at the Laax Open and stomped a run worthy of fourth place in one of the most progressive and exciting halfpipe finals to date.

With the Laax Open being the final halfpipe World Cup before the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, it was do or die for the Sun Valley native who found himself on the outside looking in on Olympic qualification criteria  - an unfamiliar position for the seasoned veteran. As Josey stared down the pipe - the same ditch of his first and only World Cup win in 2017 - his Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team teammates held their breath knowing what was on the line for the 30-year-old.

Showing the overwhelming crowd of spectators why he’s the king of switch, Josey stomped the run of his career - a cab double cork 12, followed by a switch double michalchuk, to a cab double cork 10, followed by a front double cork 12 and a massive double michalchuk for good measure.

Josey’s score of 75 flat held strong in podium position until the young Kiwi sensation Campbell Melville Ives became the first rider to ever drop two triple corks in one completed contest run. Melville Ives’ score of 91.00 catapulted him into the top spot.

But last to drop was the Australian hero Scotty James, who donned his signature red boxing gloves and put on a show under the lights, taking home his fifth Laax Open title with a second run score of 98.75. Valentino Guseli rounded out the podium in third to cement the first Oceania podium sweep in FIS history.

Josey’s fourth-place finish puts him in position to qualify for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games, which will be announced Jan. 23.

Joining Josey in the 2026 Laax Open halfpipe final was Alessandro Barbieri, who became the first American to land a triple cork in a complete halfpipe run at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix in Aspen, Colorado just one week prior. Barbieri was unable to put down a run in the Laax Open final, but the young 17-year-old proved once again he is an exciting rider to watch heading into the games.

Two-time Olympian Maddie Mastro was the sole American in the women’s field, but took an uncharacteristic fall on her signature double crippler that ended her chances of back-to-back Laax Open podiums. Mastro took home second place in 2025's Laax Open and made history doing so, becoming the first woman to land two double corks in one contest run. Tough as ever, Mastro returned to the top of the pipe for her second run and put down a conservative run good enough for ninth place overall. Having fought the entire 2025-26 season to comeback from multiple injuries, the Laax Open night final served as a confidence builder for the 25 year old who has her sights set on the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Korea's Gaon Choi took home the Laax Open title - her third World Cup win in a row - and Japan's Rise Kudo and China's Xuetong Cai rounded out the podium with second and third place, respectively.

The snowboard halfpipe roster for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games will be announced next week on January 23.

RESULTS
Women
Men

In the final Olympic qualifier of the year, all the pressure was on as the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team athletes battled it out to secure a spot at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games.

Marin Hamill stepped up to the plate, putting down an unreal run one, scoring her a 71.38. The judges loved Hamill's second rail, a back 630, and her butter-pad hit, a switch left 360 to a switch left 360. She was rewarded heavily for her run composition as well, 40% of the score in Laax's section-by-section judging format. Her first run score held on for the remainder of the competition, earning Hamill a second place behind China's Eileen Gu in first and ahead of Austria's Lara Wolf in third. 

It was Hamill's second career podium, after a second in Font Romeu, France, in 2022. Reflecting on her results, Hamill said,

"Podiuming in Laax means the world to me right now," said Hamill. "I'm trying to secure a place in Italy... I was just super stoked to put it all together and land my first run."

This podium finish clinches Marin Hamill's spot at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games, the first confirmed woman on the slopestyle and big air side. The rest of the team will be announced on January 23, 2026.

In fourth was Avery Krumme. This is Krumme's third top-six finish in the 2025-26 season, which is her first on the World Cup circuit. The judges loved Krumme's third jump, a switch left bio 900 with a mute grab, and her butter-pad trick as well, a right 180 pretzel switch left 360.

On the men's side, Hunter Henderson was the top American, finishing in fifth. The judges were stoked on Henderson's second rail: a switch left, tails over 270 on with a back cork 810 with a Japan grab. This trick was the highest scored on the second rail, a difficult feat in such a heavy field. Norway's Birk Ruud finished the day in first, with Austria's Matej Svancer in second and Canada's Evan McEachran in third.

Konnor Ralph finished in eighth, with a great first run. Colby Stevenson finished in 11th.

RESULTS
Women
Men

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes Liz Lemley and Olivia Giaccio went two-three at the Intermountain Health Freestyle Cup presented by Stifel at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, stepping on the podium in front of friends and family in the last Azerbaijan FIS World Cup before the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina.

After persistent fog forced the cancelation of Thursday's individual moguls event, organizers pivoted quickly, converting Friday's originally planned dual moguls competition into individual moguls. The weather made an equally dramatic turn overnight, dropping from rainy, 35-degree conditions on Thursday to frigid, single-digit temperatures on Friday, accompanied by whipping winds and chalky, hard snow on the course.

The men kicked off the day with qualifying runs, with Asher Michel, Landon Wendler, Charlie Mickel and Nick Page earning spots in the finals. On the women’s side, Kylie Kariotis, Alli Macuga, Jaelin Kauf, Tess Johnson, Kasey Hogg, Giaccio and Lemley all pushed through to the next round.

In the men’s finals, Mickel and Page delivered strong performances to advance into the super final. Page ultimately finished fifth overall with Mickel sixth. 

The women’s competition saw Hogg, Giaccio and Lemley rise to the occasion in the super final, with Lemley skiing to second and Giaccio securing third.

“I had a good day!” said Giaccio. “I’m very excited about my skiing and the momentum I’m building. There’s room to grow, but I’m trending in a direction that matters."

Originally slated to take place in Deer Valley, the event was rescheduled to Waterville Valley due to a lack of snow across much of the western U.S. in the early season. Waterville Valley stepped up to host on short notice, delivering a successful World Cup-caliber event despite challenging conditions.

Following the competition, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Freestyle Sport Director Matt Gnoza announced several athletes to the 2026 U.S. Olympic Team. 2022 Olympic silver medalist Kauf had already secured her spot following a dominant 2024-25 season, but was officially presented with her Making Team USA hat from Xfinity, alongside Johnson and Page who are heading to their second Olympics, and Lemley, earning selection to her first Olympic Games.

“I knew I was in a good position, but our team is so strong, you never know what could happen,” said Page. “I had to come in today, really put my foot on the gas, put a stamp on it and make this team. To finish it out this way was pretty special.”

“I’m feeling pretty awesome,” said Lemley. “I've dreamed of it since I was a kid, like everybody. And it feels great after a lot of work this summer. I'm just super proud of myself."

The remaining athletes named to the 2026 U.S. Olympic moguls roster will be announced on Jan. 23.

RESULTS
Women
Men

After an elongated break away from World Cup competition, Noah Elliott showed why he is the best in the world at banked slalom, taking back-to-back wins in Kühtai, Austria. Brenna Huckaby also had two podium appearances, and Kate Delson and Zach Miller were on the podium on day one. 

Two months after their first banked slalom World Cup of the season, the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team athletes were back in action this week. Day one of the competition brought sunshine and great racing conditions. Elliott, Huckaby, Delson and Miller all finished in the top four after two time trials, advancing to the semifinals. On the women’s side, Delson took on Cecille Hernandez of France, ultimately finishing second. Huckaby won her small final, finishing third, along with Miller, who also finished third. 

On the second day, a tough racing surface and course set took out many competitors, ultimately leading competition staff to revert to an older race format in which only the two time trials count toward determining your placement, rather than advancing to final rounds. Huckaby threw down in her second run after an error on run one, taking her to a second-place finish. Elliott, seemingly unstoppable, finished with the fastest time of the day, over two seconds ahead of his next competitor. After an error in competition on day one, Miller experienced pain in his back and ultimately decided to sit out of the second competition to recover and prepare for next week’s event. 

Next week, Jan. 21-23, the team is headed to Lenk, Switzerland, for the first snowboard cross World Cup events of the season, including a snowboard cross team event. Tune in to FIS live timing to follow along.

RESULTS

On Saturday’s classic Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen, Switzerland Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Ryan Cochran-Siegle landed 15th to secure the best spot for the Americans. Bryce Bennett was not too far off in 20th. 

“It was an OK day,” said Cochran-Siegle. “I think after Gardena I was honestly trying to get some confidence too and I did.”

It was an atypical day on the classic downhill. Normally it is the longest downhill of the year with times posting well over 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but today it was cut almost in half due to strong winds, forcing a lower start. 

Despite the changes the show had to go on in front of the thousands of fans that annually attend. Bennett drew bib one and was first to kick out. As he could hear the roaring behind him he knew he needed to give it his best shot. 

“I'm just struggling a little bit to find the confidence,” said Bennett. “In downhill it's getting better, but I just need a little bit more time.” 

Bennett would ultimately land 20th. His best result this season after a slow start to the year in the speed disciplines. Teammate Cochran-Siegle would run shortly behind Bennett. He skied with force but over did it in a few areas that were crucial for time on the shortened course. He would end up 15th. 

“It was a cool start lower in a sense and kicking out and seeing the huge crowd on the hillside,” said Cochran-Siegle. “Hearing that crowd roar was pretty special. I think sometimes I was pushing too hard and not quite connected through the transition.” 

Teammates Sam Morse, Wiley Maple, Kyle Negomir, Erik Arvidsson and Jared Goldberg also raced and landed in 32nd, 35th, 41st, 42nd and 49th. 

The next men’s speed races will take place in Kitzbuhël, Austria Jan. 23-24. 

RESULTS
men's downhill

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Lindsey Vonn continued her standout season on Saturday earning a third place finish in the women’s Audi FIS World Cup downhill in Tarvisio, Italy. It marked her fifth straight downhill podium of the 2025-26 season. Vonn has not finished off the podium in downhill once this season. 

“It was good,” said Vonn. “I was pretty close to the fence but carried my speed OK for the conditions. I am really close to first and considering everything I have to be happy today.” 

Vonn delivered a powerful run on the Tarvisio course, navigating a challenging track and, in sections, tricky visibility. She crossed the line just .26 seconds off the top spot and one hundred off of second place.

“II skied really fast, maybe the gliding was not as fast, but I am really happy to perform well in different snow and courses which gives me confidence for Cortina,” said Vonn. 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team teammate Breezy Johnson had a strong downhill result in sixth. It was Johnson’s fourth top 10 in downhill in the 2025-26 season, showing her consistency and speed. Jackie Wiles rounded out the top 15 for the women in 13th place. 

“Today’s downhill was challenging,” said Johnson. “I felt like I skied well without any major mistakes so overall I'm pretty happy with skiing and trying to move forward to the next races.”  

The Americans once again had a strong showing all around with six in the top 30. Allison Mollin landed 19th and Haley Cutler skied to 23rd. Cutler also snagged the Stifel Bibbo Award, jumping to 23rd from bib 42. Bella Wright popped it into 29th. Keely Cashman also raced and landed outside the top 30 in 43rd. 

The winner of the race was Italian Nicol Delago, who took her first career win, and German Kira Weidle-Winkelmann was second.

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team remains in the lead for the women's Nations Cup, with three women in the top five of the overall standings. Mikaela Shiffrin remains in first, Lindsey Vonn third and Paula Moltzan fourth. Vonn continues to hold the lead for the downhill Globe. 

The women’s squad looks ahead to the super-G on Sunday, also in Tarvisio. 

RESULTS
Women's downhill

Olympic Skiers Bode Miller, Picabo Street, Daron Rahlves, Steven Nyman and Tommy Ford Headline at World Economic Forum.

Park City, UT / Davos, SUI (Jan. 16, 2026) – As global leaders convene in the Swiss Alps for the 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF), Jan. 19-23, 2026, U.S. Ski & Snowboard will once again be on the ground in Davos, taking business to the slopes of the Davos Klosters Mountains for the second year in a row just before the Olympic Winter Games kick off in Milano Cortina.

Building on the approach introduced in 2025, U.S. Ski & Snowboard will host meetings and experiences both inside the Congress Center and across the ski resort Davos Klosters Mountains. The program is designed to provide an alternative setting for business during one of the world’s most influential annual gatherings.

Participating athletes include six-time Olympic medalist Bode Miller, two-time Olympic medalist Picabo Street, World Championship medalist Daron Rahlves and World Cup winner Steven Nyman, alongside current Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes Tommy Ford (alpine) and Sam Macuga (ski jumping). The athletes will ski with guests during the WEF and participate in select events and engagements throughout the week.

“Returning to Davos for a second year underscores how powerful sport can be as a platform for connection, leadership and ideas,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President & CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “By bringing our athletes and partners together on the mountain during the World Economic Forum, just weeks before the Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games, we’re creating a unique environment where business and sport intersect.”

Throughout the week, U.S. Ski & Snowboard will host curated on-mountain and off-mountain experiences for partners, business leaders and WEF attendees. Programming includes guided skiing experiences led by the athletes, premium hospitality experiences, athlete meet-and-greets and private networking opportunities designed to complement the Forum’s formal discussions.

In addition to on-snow activities, U.S. Ski & Snowboard will take part in a series of panels, dinners, interviews and private discussions. Highlights include a Female Quotient panel with U.S. Ski & Snowboard president & CEO Sophie Goldschmidt and Olympic champion Picabo Street. 

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About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams, including the Stifel U.S. Ski Team: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, freeski, nordic combined, Para alpine and ski jumping, the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team and Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org.

About the Davos Klosters Mountains
As a key partner, the ski resort Davos Klosters Mountains is delighted to provide its facilities, slopes, and full support for this extraordinary event. Renowned as one of the world’s premier ski destinations and a member of Top of the Alps, Davos Klosters Mountains offers outstanding terrain across five mountains, breathtaking Alpine scenery, and world-class infrastructure.

The resort Davos Klosters Mountains is steeped in a rich Alpine skiing heritage, featuring the iconic Parsenn ski area and a lively après-ski scene. In addition to its ski operations, the company offers more than 3,500 hotel beds under the Mountain Resorts and Mountain Hotels brands, providing guests with attractive holiday packages that combine accommodations and ski passes for an unforgettable stay in the Swiss Alps.

The Wengen World Cup delivered an exciting super-G for the men’s field, with the Stifel U.S. Ski Team turning in a strong performance. Olympic silver medalist Ryan Cochran-Siegle led the charge in sixth place, while Sam Morse finished 15th as the team placed four athletes inside the top 30.

It was Cochran-Siegle's best super-G result of the season. On a track set up similarly to the downhill course, he skied the gliding sections and technical turns with confidence, taking advantage of the early sunshine. Kyle Negomir followed Cochran-Siegle with a 16th-place result.

“I feel like I was a little bit stagnant with my approach the last few races. So I am just trying to get back to that good focus,” said Cochran-Siegle. 

“I've never actually scored points here so it felt good," said Negomir. "Even though I made a couple mistakes, I put a run together and feel like I had an approach I was proud of." 

But it was Sam Morse, nicknamed “Moose,” had a breakout performance, skiing from bib 47 to 15th place despite the challenging conditions and deteriorating visibility. His ability to stay composed and push through the terrain made his result particularly impressive. Morse also took home the Stifel Bibbo Award for having the biggest jump up the rankings amongst all athletes. 

“I didn't give up. The speed into the really tight 's' turn was super fast today, fastest I've ever felt. I came out of that with okay speed so I knew I was in the race,” said Morse. “This was one of those times in life when you needed to dig deep into the well and give it all you have. So super grateful that it came today.” 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete River Radamus rounded out the U.S. points-scoring results in 26th. Jared Goldberg and Bryce Bennett also raced and finished 41st and 42nd, respecitvely. The winner of the race was young Italian star Giovanni Franzoni, Austrian Stefan Babinsky took second with Swiss skier Franjo Von Allmen in third. 

RESULTS
Men's super-G

The International Ski & Snowboard Federation preliminarily confirmed the return of a robust slate of U.S. Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup events for the 2026-27 season, welcoming the world’s best skiers back to some of the most iconic venues in the United States. The FIS Council will confirm the final schedule in spring 2026. 

The domestic schedule features five alpine World Cup stops in the United States, underscoring the Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s continued role as a premier host on the global winter sports calendar.

After massive success in 2025, Copper Mountain will host the Copper Cup for the second time in two years, welcoming the men’s alpine World Cup back to the Colorado venue Nov. 28-29, 2026, with dates still to be confirmed. Beaver Creek’s legendary Stifel Birds of Prey returns in early December with four days of men’s racing from Dec. 3-6, 2026, followed by the women’s downhill and super-G Dec. 12-13, 2026. The women raced for the first time at the venue in 2024.

The Stifel Killington Cup returns on Nov. 28-29, 2026, after a one-year hiatus in 2025 due to on-mountain chairlift construction. Since debuting in 2016, Killington has been a cornerstone of the women’s World Cup calendar for nearly a decade, consistently delivering electric crowds and world-class racing in giant slalom and slalom.

The alpine season will culminate with the Stifel Sun Valley Finals, the FIS World Cup Finals, set for March 20-25, 2027, where men and women will compete in downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom as World Cup season titles are decided on U.S. snow. It is the second time Sun Valley will host the World Cup Finals, following the monumentally successful 2025 Stifel Sun Valley Finals. 

“Bringing the World Cup back to these iconic American venues reflects the passion of U.S. fans and the strength of our events,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Returning to Copper for the second time in two years, welcoming women back to Beaver Creek, and continuing nearly a decade of racing at Killington underscores our commitment to growing the sport at home while delivering unforgettable moments for athletes and fans alike.”

The World Cup schedule is preliminary and pending final Council approval in Spring 2026.

2026-27 DOMESTIC FIS ALPINE SKI WORLD CUP SCHEDULE 

• Nov. 28-29, 2026 – Copper Cup – men’s super-G, giant slalom
• Nov. 28-29, 2026 – Stifel Killington Cup – women’s giant slalom, slalom
• Dec. 3-6, 2026 – Stifel Birds of Prey – men’s downhill (2), super-G, giant slalom
• Dec. 12-13, 2026 – Stifel Birds of Prey – women’s downhill, super-G
• March 20-25, 2027 – Stifel Sun Valley Finals – men’s and women’s downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom

FULL PRELIMINARY FIS SCHEDULES 
Women
Men

Oberstdorf will host the Ski Flying World Championships on the HS235 later this month, January 22-25, 2026. Competition begins Thursday with qualification, followed by the individual event on Friday and the team event on Sunday.

The Stifel U.S. Ski Jumping Team will be represented by Tate Frantz, Andrew Urlaub, Erik Belshaw, Jason Colby and Decker Dean.

The selection marks Colby’s first appearance on a Ski Flying World Championships team, a key milestone in his international career. 

“The Ski Flying World Championships are one of the highlights of the season, and the team is extremely excited for this opportunity,” says Anders Johnson, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Sports Director. “We’re bringing a group of athletes who thrive on ski flying and aren’t afraid to push their limits on the biggest hills in the world. I’m really looking forward to seeing what this team can accomplish in Oberstdorf.”

Kevin Bickner qualified for a spot, but chose to defer.

Ski Flying World Championships Schedule

2026 Ski Flying World Championships Team

Hometown, Club, College, Birthdate

• Erik Belshaw (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; University of Utah; 8/23/2004)
• Jason Colby (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 3/30/2006)
• Decker Dean (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 8/8/2000)
• Tate Frantz (Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation; 3/28/2005)
• Andrew Urlaub (Eau Claire, WI; Flying Eagles Ski Club; University of Utah; 4/12/2001)