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Experience more joy on the slopes this winter with Ikon Pass! Enjoy new lifts, gondolas, terrain expansions, lodges, and enhanced snowmaking across 60+ destinations worldwide—plus two weeks to lock in 25/26 low rates.

Ski racing will always carry risk, but preventable tragedies are not inevitable. From empowering coaches to raising training standards and improving emergency preparedness, the sport must shift from reactive to proactive safety. Every athlete deserves an environment where speaking up is respected, tough decisions are supported, and safety is never compromised.

Federica Brignone, the dominant force of the 2024–25 Alpine World Cup season, broke her leg at the Italian Nationals, leaving her Olympic return uncertain just months before the Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Meister Racing introduces TUNEMEISTER—the world’s only portable ski tuning system with patented Parallel Tuning Technology. Trusted in Europe for over 20 years, TUNEMEISTER tunes both skis simultaneously with unmatched precision, efficiency, and safety. Now arriving in the U.S. for the 2025/26 ski season.

Ski racing pushes muscles to their limit, demanding both explosive strength and endurance. Fatigue builds as energy byproducts like phosphate and potassium disrupt muscle contractions, slowing reactions and reducing control — especially late in a race when injuries are most likely. With the right mix of endurance, strength, and recovery training, athletes can fight these effects and stay strong from start to finish.

New England College alpine skiing is making a major move for 2026, returning to the highly competitive MacConnell Division of the USCSA after five seasons away. The Pilgrims will rejoin a lineup of elite programs across the Northeast, giving student-athletes expanded opportunities to race at the highest collegiate level.

Randy Pelkey has spent more than 40 years shaping U.S. speed skiing, guiding athletes and coaches from grassroots programs to the World Cup. His career spans club and academy work, four national divisions, and a pivotal role with the U.S. Ski Team, where he helped steer the program through challenges and onto the Olympic podium. From building La Parva, Chile, into a training hub to mentoring future leaders of the sport, Pelkey’s influence is unmatched. Tireless in belief and dedication, he remains the defining architect of America’s pursuit of downhill and super-G.

Stifel hosted its 10th Annual U.S. Ski Team Fundraiser in Ladue, Missouri, raising $1.37 million in support of athlete development. The evening, themed “Una Notte Bianca a Cortina,” featured music, a live auction, and appearances from Olympic and Paralympic stars including Mikaela Shiffrin, Bella Wright, and Noah Elliott.

Haley Cutler, an independent U.S. speed skier, opened her season with two South American Cup downhill wins in Chile and now aims to turn that momentum into World Cup breakthroughs. Without the full backing of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, she still receives some training opportunities with them but carries most of the logistics, fundraising, and program management herself. Supported by mentors like Lindsey Vonn and her Sun Valley network, Cutler is determined to prove that independence can still lead to success on skiing’s toughest stage.

Italian speed specialist Matteo Franzoso remains in critical condition after crashing in training at La Parva, Chile. The 25-year-old suffered severe head trauma and was flown to a hospital in Santiago, according to FISI and reports from skinews.ch.

DU Skiing announced three new additions to its alpine team for the 2026 season, welcoming Caman Beauregard of Colorado, Elisabeth Creighton of Canada, and Cecilia Pizzinato of Italy to the Pioneers’ roster.

NCAA skiing is highly competitive, with limited roster spots and growing demand, but college coaches explain what it takes to earn a place. From eligibility rules to the rise of postgraduate years, they share advice for athletes on training, academics, and finding the right program, while reminding that NCAA skiing can bring back the joy of racing.

Marcel Hirscher is back on snow. The eight-time overall World Cup champion made his first turns in the Zoetermeer indoor ski hall, 277 days after tearing the cruciate ligament in his left knee. The comeback marks the latest step for the 67-time World Cup winner, who returned to racing under the Dutch flag last season before injury cut his campaign short.

Britt Richardson’s journey from fearless childhood days on skis to the World Cup stage is rooted in passion, resilience, and joy. With her sights set on the Olympics, she’s redefining what it means to find success beyond results.

The Canadian women’s alpine development team enters a new era with head coach Marie-Ève Boulianne and assistant coach Leslie Firstbrook at the helm. Together, this dynamic duo is reshaping what leadership looks like in ski racing—building not just fast skiers, but confident, resilient young women.

Sarrazin’s crash on the Stelvio, the slope set to host the men’s Olympic downhill this February, has renewed concerns about safety. The fall last December highlighted just how unforgiving Bormio can be in midwinter.

Organizers point out that conditions in February — with more direct sun and the opportunity to prepare the piste from top to bottom in a more uniform manner — should make the Olympic surface safer. Still, the questions raised by his accident continue to echo as the Games approach.

For Sarrazin, the focus is no longer on what was lost but on what lies ahead. His determination is clear: recover fully, return in 2026–27, and chase the dream of competing at the 2030 Olympics in front of a home crowd.

Strength alone doesn’t win ski races—endurance does too. Alpine racers face intense forces every turn, but without the aerobic capacity to fuel their muscles from start to finish, strength breaks down. Building both endurance and power through volume, skill work, and targeted training is critical to reaching the podium.

Roland Assinger will remain head coach of the Austrian women’s Alpine team through the 2025–26 Olympic season despite sharp criticism from several athletes, including recently retired world champion Stephanie Venier. Accused of poor communication and an intimidating leadership style, Assinger acknowledged the controversy, admitted he considered resigning, and vowed to improve trust and collaboration moving forward.