Ryan Cochran-Siegle / Benjamin Ritchie: GEPA pictures
Men’s Team Combined: A New Challenge at the World Championships
The Men’s Team Combined will make its World Championship debut on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Saalbach 2025 Alpine World Championships. The event, also scheduled for the 2026 Winter Olympics—in Cortina d’Ampezzo for women and Bormio for men—pairs a downhill skier and a slalom skier from the same nation. Their combined times will determine the medalists, creating a unique test of versatility and teamwork.
A Two-Run Battle
The downhill portion of the race begins at 10:00 a.m. CET, with each team fielding its fastest speed skier. Those results will establish the slalom start order, with the fastest downhill team running last. The slalom begins at 13:15 CET, where technical specialists must deliver under pressure. Each nation can enter up to four teams, leading to strategic selections based on individual strengths.
Early Success for the Format
The women’s Team Combined showcased the format’s potential, delivering a dramatic leaderboard shake-up in the slalom run. The Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s Breezy Johnson and Mikaela Shiffrin charged from fourth to victory, while Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami and Wendy Holdener surged from 12th to second. Austria extended its medal streak as Stephanie Venier and Katharina Truppe climbed from seventh to third. Remarkably, none of the top three teams finished on the podium after the downhill, proving how unpredictable and dynamic this new event could be.
A Push for Greater Visibility
The Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS) aims to boost audience engagement with this format. If successful, it could provide an exciting addition to major competitions. However, expanding the event to the World Cup circuit presents challenges. Many smaller nations may struggle to field teams. If World Cup points were awarded, pairing two separate athletes could skew individual overall standings.
Without World Cup points, prize money would need to be substantial to attract top racers at a World Cup. The event remains a test event at the World Championships and Olympics.
A New Event Reshapes the Competition Format
At the World Championships, the Team Combined will replace the Individual Combined, a long-standing test of versatility that has struggled to maintain relevance in modern Alpine skiing. At the 2026 Winter Olympics, however, this event will take on an even larger role, replacing both the Individual Combined and the Mixed-Team Parallel.
The Mixed-Team Parallel, introduced at the 2018 Olympics, will continue beyond 2026, but logistical challenges prevent its inclusion in Milan-Cortina 2026. With the men’s events in Bormio and the women’s in Cortina d’Ampezzo, holding a mixed-gender team competition is impractical due to the 3.5- to 5.5-hour winter drive between venues.
The Team Combined has now stepped in, delivering high-stakes competition featuring the best speed skiers and slalom specialists in a single day. Team-based scoring adds a fresh dynamic to the World Championships and Olympic programs, blending raw speed and technical mastery while preserving the tradition of multi-discipline Alpine skiing at the highest level.
Thirty-seven pairs from 18 countries are set to compete
A Concept on Trial
The Men’s Team Combined will make its World Championship debut this week, offering a first look at how well the format can engage fans and deliver compelling competition. By pairing speed and technical specialists in a single event, the race aims to highlight the full spectrum of Alpine skiing. The reaction from athletes, coaches, and viewers will be critical in determining whether this concept has a long-term future at the sport’s highest level.
Stifel U.S. Ski Team Pairings
For weeks, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team clarified that Team Combined partners would be determined strictly by performance. The fastest downhiller would pair with the fastest slalom skier, and so on down the list. This process ensured that each pairing had the best chance of success based on results, not preference.
- Team 8, USA 8, DH, Bryce Bennett, Stifel USST, Team Palisades Tahoe / SL, Jett Seymour, Stifel USST, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, University of Denver
- Team 11, USA 11, DH, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Stifel USST, Mt Mansfield Ski Academy, Cochran’s Ski Club, HEAD / SL, Benjamin Ritchie, Stifel USST, Green Mountain Valley School, HEAD, SYNC Protection
Alpine Canada Pairing
- Team 2, CAN, DH, Brodie Seger, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, Atomic/ SL, Erik Read, World Racing Academy, Banff Alpine Racers, University of Denver, Atomic, SYNC
How and When to Watch
The downhill run starts at 4:00 a.m. Eastern and 1:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with the slalom run following at 7:15 a.m. Eastern and 4:15 a.m. Pacific Time.
U.S. audiences can watch the race live or as a replay on Ski and Snowboard Live.
Sports enthusiasts in Canada can watch the World Cup on CBC Sports.
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About the Author: Peter Lange
