Mina Fürst Holtmann Brings World Cup Finals Confidence to Sölden

Mina Fürst Holtmann, Photo GEPA pictures

The Norwegian is carrying confidence from her second-place World Cup Finals finish into the new season, while working to find more consistency.

As the Sölden World Cup season opener approaches, Norway’s Mina Fürst Holtmann is drawing confidence from her second-place giant slalom finish at the 2026 World Cup Finals. With three top-six results at past championships and the 2027 World Championships ahead, she is looking to put last season’s midseason doubts behind her and climb the results lists.

Ski Racing Media spoke with Mina this October.

Sölden Opener

SRM: Finishing second in the World Cup Finals GS, you again showed your podium abilities during a difficult season. How do you feel going into the GS season opener in Sölden?

MINA: It’s always exciting going into the World Cup opening in Sölden. You never feel completely ready, and you never will. But I feel good. I bring that confidence with me from the podium, and we’ve had a really good pre-season so far, so I hope I can bring down my best skiing there.

SRM: In previous years, you have finished in the top 10 in 50 percent of your Sölden starts, with a fourth-place finish as your best result. What is the key to your Sölden skiing if you want to finish on the podium this year?

MINA: I think, for me, it’s definitely to ski better on the pitch and get as much speed as I can onto the last flat there. And also, to put two solid runs together, because I usually have one good run at the top and then bad at the bottom, and then I change it up for the second run. So, having two good runs top to bottom will help me achieve that, I think. I didn’t know it was 50/50. It is either heaven or hell there. I had a bad race there last year, so then we can say it will be good this year.

Mina laughs heartily.

A Difficult Stretch

Last season was not always filled with laughter, however.

After finishing the first run fifth in last November’s slalom in Levi, she was in position to challenge for a podium before skiing out in the second run. Her eighth-place finish in the late-November Copper Mountain GS was a highlight. But beginning in late December, race after race brought frustration as she either failed to finish or qualify for the second run. In January, she skipped the Flachau World Cup race, went home, worked with team support staff and enjoyed skiing at the family cabin in the mountains.

She later returned to finish sixth in the Olympic giant slalom. Read more about her Olympic reset.

Building Confidence and Consistency

SRM: Last season, you struggled a bit mentally during midseason. How have you prepared to come into this season mentally strong after losing confidence during part of last season?

MINA: Big question. I have handled some personal stuff, which took a lot of energy for some time. Now, I feel that I can focus a lot more on the skiing, which is nice. I have a lot more energy to focus on that, and a greater calm doing what I’m doing.

We’ve had a good preseason so far to develop my skiing, and that also gives me a lot of confidence. Also, we have a great team, great support. It is a very, very good vibe, so the wholeness of the package is a lot better this year.

SRM: Have you worked on anything specific in your skiing during preseason to improve for this season?

MINA: Now, my ranking in GS is better than in slalom, and it’s a good one; it’s 12 in the world. I’ve gotten there with really good results, those have helped me a lot, and also some not-so-good results. I say this every year: It is still my stability that I need to work on, and to try and work on different surfaces. I have pretty low confidence when it’s icy, especially in GS. I’m trying to work on that as much as I can, but it’s not always easy to find an icy slope there. Also, the basics of skiing as well; and it can be as easy as being more in front in the boot and those very basic things that I’ve been working on, which will help me.

Championship Goals

At the 2025 World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, Holtmann finished eighth in slalom and 11th in GS. The slalom had some warm spring snow, while the GS was rough.

SRM: As we return to Sun Valley for this season’s World Cup Finals, should we hope for more warm, spring snow?

MINA: We can at least hope so. Ha-ha-ha! I really like the warm spring snow, and it was a little bit of it last time we were there. So, I can only hope for warm weather, some salt, and I’ll be a very happy woman.

Once again, Mina laughs heartily.

SRM: It might have gone under the radar for a lot of people, but you have some strong championship results: sixth in last winter’s Olympic GS, fourth in slalom and sixth in GS at the 2023 World Championships in Courchevel. What are your thoughts on this year’s World Championships?

MINA: I am very excited. I do really like championships. I hope I can take the next step, and you always dream of a medal. I have shown that I can be up there, but I am not like one you can always count on being up there. But I will do my very best and try.