ZERMATT, Switzerland (AP) — With a training block coming up, Tanguy Nef is “happy to be skiing again” as he prepares for another season. However, for Nef, this is a season like no other. The 28-year-old from Geneva will experience his first Winter Olympics in February, if all goes well. He has imagined this moment for years.
Childhood Dream
For many years, “I was chasing my brothers and sisters who had already started in the local club,” Tanguy said. “It was a long and difficult grind but 100 percent worth it.”
His mother is a doctor and his father is a ski instructor at the local club in Switzerland. There was always a love for the sport and a willingness to succeed in any field.
“Growing up dreaming of the Olympics and actually going are two different things,” Nef told us. He described his Olympic dream as the “Swiss dream,” meaning the dream that every young athlete in the world—particularly in Switzerland—has, hoping that one day they will make it to the sport’s biggest stages.
Journey to the Top
Tanguy Nef has taken a route to the top ten of the World Cup slalom standings like no other current male top ten star—through the American collegiate system. While he isn’t the first male skier to use the NCAA pathway to reach elite levels, and others with college experience are active on the World Cup today, Nef remains the only one currently ranked in the top ten. While several current female stars have also followed that path, Nef’s story is especially rare for someone born and raised in a ski racing-mad country like Switzerland.
Time at Dartmouth
Nef was successful in his four years of study at Dartmouth College. Alongside earning a Master’s degree in Computer Science and Economics, he achieved success with the Dartmouth team at the NCAA level, while consistently scoring World Cup points.
“By this point, I was already one of the top 80 skiers on the FIS ranking list and then one big injury was the turning point,” diverting him from the conventional path to the top. Instead, he was accepted to Dartmouth College in 2016.
Nef said, “It was a spontaneous decision as none of my friends went to America and the NCAA, but my father encouraged me to look at the option.” “There was a different sense of inspiration from being in the US; results and success were more important and more celebrated.”
Juggling World Cup and NCAA skiing
“They were the fastest years of my life. I didn’t feel stressed before a race but tension throughout the season,” Nef added. “There was an element of “tunnel vision,” focused only on skiing and racing at this time.”
While there aren’t many World Cup racers that have attempted to ski for their college and on the global tours, those that do have learned the hard way and earned a degree in high-level education. Tanguy’s story is one of success for the American college path.
Coach’s Corner
Nef’s head coach at Dartmouth, Peter Dodge, played an influential role in the success he enjoyed at college. He said, “Tanguy sent an enquiry with interest that stemmed from his dad’s time in the US, and I was quite interested in him.”
“He took the last of the four spots and secured admission with his solid results, but, at the time, nothing super good, but there was a clear motivation, and education was important to him and his family.”
Dodge added, “He had rigorous academic standards, but at Dartmouth, he realized there are other things in life than ski racing.”
Teammates Appreciation
Two of Nef’s Dartmouth teammates have gone on to succeed in the sport, too, with Brian McLaughlin scoring World Cup points in GS and Thomas Woolson coaching at the highest level.
McLaughlin described Tanguy as “a very light-hearted and laid-back guy with so much energy. He was always able to keep skiing playfully and have fun, even at World Cups. He would always say hello or find time to get coffee.”
Woolson says, “Tanguy was fun to work with but also fun to compete against. We were able to feed off each other in that team and find success.” Thomas added, “He always showed lots of potential and he was obviously quick but wasn’t quite making it happen, but by his second year, he had found consistency and became very calculated.”
World Cup Debut
In Levi, November 2018, having been at college for a couple of years and on the Swiss C team, the chance arose for his first start. An 11th-place finish on his World Cup debut allowed him to bypass the Europa Cup circuit.
Nef got on board with the competitive team environment of the American collegiate system very quickly and said, “Being at a college full of talented people, exposed to the US culture and the team vibe, was so important for my progression as a racer and as a person.”
The Successes of Last Season
Nef posted his best season yet in 2024/25, scoring seven World Cup top ten results, ninth in the World Championship slalom, and a World Cup career best of fourth at home in the famous Wengen slalom.
He finished the season eighth in the season slalom standings, and going to the 2025/26 season opener in Levi, he’ll be just 27 World Cup Start List points behind the top seven slalom skiers.
Nef has now recorded 14 World Cup top ten results, all in slalom, despite having yet to hit the podium.
World Championships
In Saalbach he partnered with Alexis Monney in the maiden World Championship Team Combined. Monney won the downhill run ahead of his teammate Franjo von Allmen.
Nef said, “I was just focused on what I had to do and what I could control. But that day was incredible, probably the best moment of my career so far.”
Nef and Monney skied into silver to complete an incredible Swiss podium sweep behind winners Franjo von Allmen and slalom teammate Loïc Meillard. Stefan Rogentin and Marc Rochat took third to round out the all-Swiss podium. “To share a podium with five teammates is a dream and I can’t wait for the event, as well as the slalom, at the Olympics.”
The Olympic Campaign
While there is an aim “to manage expectations,” even on the first camp in Zermatt this month, there is a desire to “keep consistent and not try to change something in pursuit of results.” He also emphasized his excitement not only to get the season started but also to see the Games underway.
Consistency is an important concept in ski racing, but more important than most for Nef. Peter Dodge recalls, “First year it took a while as he was transitioning. He looked safe but wasn’t consistent in his skiing.”
The Swiss Team
He’s in the top 15 of slalom racing with teammates, Meillard (world and 2025 season slalom champion) and veteran Daniel Yule. He beats both in training. “I feel like I’m the younger member of the team, more laid-back and chilled with other racers, but everyone has their preferences.”
“The speed guys were impressive too,” Nef said. “I have known Monney for years, but their team dynamic and spirit are so impressive and really fun.” Tanguy roomed with them in Saalbach during the World Championships and drew inspiration from the exciting camaraderie they shared.
The Slalom Tour
“Everyone is a contender. Everyone is a different character in slalom, and they all know they have a chance,” Nef also said. His former Dartmouth teammate, Thomas Woolson, said, “Success next season isn’t expected but wouldn’t be surprising as he’s right in the mix now.”
“He’s unlocked his potential and has the upward momentum, much like (slalom rivals), Atle Lie McGrath and Timon Haugan.”
“The Sky’s the Limit”
The same “laid-back and chilled” Tanguy Nef that Dodge, McLaughlin and Woolson discussed, is now loving life on tour and searching for a season, bigger and better than the ones he’s already managed.
Could Tanguy Nef be a World Cup winner or an Olympic medalist by the end of March? Quite possibly; no one is ruling him out.
This story also appears as a podcast. Listen to Matt Garcka and Alan Rigg’s full conversation with Tanguy Nef on the “Skiing is Believing” podcast, available now on YouTube and Spotify.
About the Author: Matt Garcka
