Shiffrin, Robinson, Gut-Behrami Highlight Women’s World Cup Opener

Sölden Women’s World Cup Podium 2024: GEPA pictures

Season Opener on the Rettenbach Glacier

The wait is over. On Saturday, October 25, at 10:00 CET, the 2025–26 Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season begins with the women’s giant slalom in Sölden, Austria. The high-altitude Rettenbach Glacier will once again set the stage for a new season — one that carries the added anticipation of an Olympic year.

As FIS-ski.com noted, “Equipment testing is done, gym work completed, techniques honed.” Now it’s time to race.

Brignone’s Absence Opens the Field

Reigning GS World Champion and last season’s discipline-title winner Federica Brignone (ITA) will miss Sölden while recovering from a serious leg injury that ended her 2025 campaign. Brignone won both the Sölden opener and the World Championships, leaving big shoes to fill on the start list.

Her absence opens the door for New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, who finished second in both last season’s Sölden race and the overall GS standings. At just 23 years old, Robinson continues to rise among the sport’s elite. She was also the silver medalist at the World Championships in Saalbach, confirming her place among the world’s best. Consistent and fearless, she stood on the podium in every World Cup GS she finished —seven of nine GS races last season — and now has her eyes on a second Sölden victory.

Shiffrin’s GS Focus and Unfinished Business

No woman has won more World Cup GS races than Mikaela Shiffrin (USA/Atomic), who owns 22 victories in the discipline, along with Olympic gold and a World Championship title. But the 30-year-old superstar enters the new season with unfinished business after her 2025 campaign was derailed by injury.

In last year’s Sölden opener, Shiffrin won the first run and looked poised for victory before slipping to fifth overall after losing time in her second run. She carried strong form into Killington, Vermont, where she again won the first run but then crashed in the second,  suffering a severe injury that ended what had started as a promising GS season.

“I have been prioritizing GS, trying to get as much repetition as possible,” Shiffrin told the Associated Press. “My confidence is getting better — generally, I feel more comfortable and more able to accept the speed.”

Now healthy and refocused, Shiffrin enters the Olympic season determined to reassert her dominance in the discipline that has long been part of her foundation.

North American Power: U.S. and Canada Bring Depth and Momentum

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team brings nine athletes to Sölden: Mikaela Shiffrin (Atomic), Paula Moltzan, Nina O’Brien, AJ Hurt (HEAD), Katie Hensien, Elisabeth Bocock, Mary Bocock, Keely Cashman (HEAD), and Tricia Mangan (HEAD).

Katie Hensien delivered a breakthrough in last year’s race, finishing fourth in her first race back after missing the entire 2024 season. That result propelled her to a strong campaign and her first World Cup Finals start in Sun Valley.

Paula Moltzan was the highest-ranked North American GS skier last season and the only one to earn a World Cup podium. She also earned a bronze medal at the World Championships in Saalbach. Her success underscores the U.S. team’s momentum heading into Sölden.

Nina O’Brien, also returning from injury, finished seventh in Sölden, giving the U.S. three finishers inside the top ten, along with Shiffrin and Hensien. AJ Hurt, Keely Cashman, and Tricia Mangan bring valuable experience, while Elisabeth Bocock (20) and her older sister Mary Bocock represent the team’s youthful future. Elisabeth closed last season 14th in Åre, Sweden, and was eighth after the first run in Killington, while Mary gained valuable World Cup starts.

Canadian Confidence Returns

Alpine Canada Alpin fields four athletes in Sölden: Valérie Grenier, Britt Richardson, Cassidy Gray, and Justine Lamontagne.

Grenier, a two-time World Cup winner, missed last year’s opener while recovering from a knee injury but returned strongly, finishing the season ranked 12th in GS. That was six places lower than her 2024 ranking of sixth, but still an impressive comeback given her recovery path.

Britt Richardson (22) continues to build momentum and, like Elisabeth Bocock, appears ready for a breakout season. Cassidy Gray qualified for the Sölden second run last year but did not finish, while Justine Lamontagne gained valuable experience on the World Cup stage.

Gut-Behrami (SUI/HEAD) Eyes a Golden Farewell

Few skiers have enjoyed as much success in Sölden as Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI/HEAD). The Swiss veteran owns three Sölden GS victories — in 2013, 2016, and 2023 — tying her with Tina Maze (SLO) for the most wins at the venue. Having announced this will be her final season, Gut-Behrami has one last chance to claim sole ownership of that record.

She ended last season with victory at the World Cup Finals GS in Sun Valley and two additional podiums in her final five races. With the 2026 Olympic Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo approaching — where she won double gold at the 2021 World Championships — Gut-Behrami is poised for a powerful farewell season.

Rising Stars and Olympic Season Energy

A new generation is pushing forward. Lara Colturi, just 18, and Zrinka Ljutić (CRO/Atomic), 21, both reached GS podiums last year. Ljutić, the reigning slalom champion, described Sölden as “technically very challenging” and “a good wake-up call” for the season ahead.

A Curtain Raiser Worth Watching

The Sölden opener is never ordinary. The steep glacier, early-season conditions, and months of anticipation combine to create one of the most electric races of the year. “Everyone comes super fresh and just excited from a long summer break,” said Ljutic. “It’s very hyped. But that’s what’s cool about it.”

As the 2025–26 season begins, the women’s GS in Sölden promises a thrilling mix of redemption, renewal, and rising talent. Shiffrin seeks a fresh start, Robinson and Hector chase the top spot, Gut-Behrami races toward history, and the North Americans — Moltzan, Hensien, the Bocock sisters, Richardson, and Grenier — look ready to deliver powerful performances.

The first run will be set by Walter Girardi (SWE), and the second by Stifel U.S. Ski Team coach Alek Glebov (USA).

North Americans in Sölden: World Cup Start List and FIS Rankings — FIS Rank Shown if Outside Top 30 on WCSL

• Paula Moltzan, WCSL 9th, Stifel USST, University of Vermont, Ski and Snowboard Club
• Nina O’Brien, WCSL 11th, Stifel USST, Burke Mountain Academy
• Valérie Grenier, WCSL 12th, Alpine Canada Alpine, CA, Club de Ski Mont Tremblant
• AJ Hurt, WCSL 13th, Stifel USST, Team Palisades Tahoe, HEAD
• Britt Richardson, WCSL 17th, Alpine Canada Alpine, CA, Calgary Alpine Racing Club
• Katie Hensien, WCSL 23rd, Stifel USST, University of Denver, Rowmark Ski Academy
• Mikaela Shiffrin, WCSL 30th, Stifel USST, Burke Mountain Academy, Atomic
• Elisabeth Bocock, WCSL 33rd, FIS 17th, Stifel USST, Rowmark Ski Academy
• Cassidy Gray, WCSL 46th, Alpine Canada Alpine, Team Panorama, Atomic
• Mary Bocock, FIS 77th, Stifel USST, Dartmouth College, Rowmark Ski Academy
• Trcia Mangan, FIS 112th, Stifel USST, HoliMont Snowsports, Dartmouth College, HEAD, SYNC
• Keely Cashman, FIS 114th, Stifel USST, Team Palisades Tahoe, HEAD
• Justine Lamontagne, FIS 128th, Mont Sainte-Anne, Montana State University

How to Watch

Coverage begins with the first run at 4:00 a.m. EDT / 1:00 a.m. PDT, followed by the second run at 7:00 a.m. EDT / 4:00 a.m. PDT.

Fans in the United States can stream both runs of Saturday’s women’s giant slalom live and on replay on Peacock.
In Canada, viewers can catch the whole race on  CBC Sports, while fans in the United Kingdom can watch live on Discovery+, with the first run at 9:00 a.m. and the second run at 12:00 p.m. UK time.

Information from FIS-ski.com and the Associated Press contributed to this report.