Alice Robinson / GEPA pictures
The World Cup women return to Mont-Tremblant this weekend for two giant slaloms on Saturday, December 6, and Sunday, December 7, marking giant slalom (GS) races No. 3 and No. 4 of an Olympic season, creating urgency and opportunity. With six more GS races scheduled before the Olympic break, every one of them matters for athletes trying to secure a place on their nation’s Cortina 2026 Olympic teams or earn the preferred start numbers.
A return with purpose
Tremblant first hosted this series in December 2023 during the 2024 season, a lively debut that drew huge Canadian crowds and instant North American energy. The venue missed its chance last winter when warm temperatures shut down snowmaking and forced a cancellation. Now, in an Olympic year, Tremblant gets another chance to deliver a two-race GS weekend — and the athletes arrive with momentum, pressure, and shifting storylines.
A season already changing shape
The opening GS races have already reshaped the discipline. Federica Brignone, the reigning GS globe winner and last season’s most dominant giant slalom skier, is sidelined with injury. Lara Gut-Behrami, who won both the overall and GS titles during the 2024 season and opened this year with a podium in Sölden, was injured in Copper and is also out for the season. Suddenly, the hierarchy looks very different.
That shift has elevated Alice Robinson to early-favorite status. At the same time, Julia Scheib and Thea Louise Stjernesund have surged into contention with powerful, confident skiing in both Sölden and Copper.
Women’s GS podiums — first two races
Sölden: Scheib (AUT), Moltzan (USA), Gut-Behrami (SUI)
Copper Mountain: Robinson (NZL), Scheib (AUT), Stjernesund (NOR)
North Americans set the tone in Sölden
The season opener in Sölden delivered one of the strongest North American GS starts in years. Paula Moltzan charged to second, Mikaela Shiffrin opened with a determined fourth, and Valérie Grenier led the Canadians in eleventh. Katie Hensien and AJ Hurt followed closely in twelfth and thirteenth, with Elisabeth Bocock and Britt Richardson adding nineteenth and twentieth to complete a deep scoring day.
North American momentum continued in Copper, where Nina O’Brien, Grenier, Shiffrin, and Richardson all finished inside the top 16.
The season opened with impressive depth for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, but two of the six highest-ranked American GS skiers are already sidelined. Hensien and Hurt both suffered early-season injuries, reshaping the U.S. picture just as Olympic-year pressure builds.
The standings tell the story
Top 10 GS standings after two races:
- Scheib (AUT) – 180
- Robinson (NZL) – 132
- Stjernesund (NOR) – 105
- Moltzan (USA) – 80
- Hector (SWE) – 79
- Shiffrin (USA) – 68
- O’Brien (USA) – 64
- Ljutić (CRO) – 62
- Rast (SUI) – 61
- Gut-Behrami (SUI) – 60 (injured)
A story inside the start lists
The North American rosters bring a mix of experience, momentum, and fresh opportunity into Tremblant. The U.S. team arrives with Shiffrin, Moltzan, and O’Brien all ranked inside the top seven, supported by rising talents Elisabeth Bocock and Kjersti Moritz, who continue to settle confidently into the World Cup rhythm.
Canada brings just as much intrigue. Valérie Grenier and Britt Richardson lead the charge on home snow, with Justine Lamontagne and Cassidy Gray adding strength and stability. Tremblant becomes a milestone moment for Kendra Giesbrecht, who will make her World Cup debut. Debuting at home — and in an Olympic season — creates a rare moment few athletes experience.
North American start lists
United States: Shiffrin, Moltzan, O’Brien, Bocock, Moritz
Canada: Grenier, Richardson, Forget, Gray (Atomic), Lamontagne, Giesbrecht
Looking ahead to the weekend
With two GS races on December 6 and 7 and 200 points on offer, Tremblant’s return arrives at a pivotal moment. The Canadians race at home, the U.S. brings serious depth, and the GS hierarchy has already shifted dramatically before December. In an Olympic season, every giant slalom matters — and this weekend could help set the tone for the push toward Cortina.
Saturday: The first run will be set by Amir Ljutić (CRO), and the second run by Denis Wicki SUI
Sunday: The first run will be set by Kai Grønningsæther (NOR), and the second run will be set by Alessandro Colturi (ALB).
Women’s Giant Slalom — Start Times and How to Watch
Saturday’s giant slalom takes place on December 6. Run one begins at 11:00 a.m. ET / 8:00 a.m. PT, with run two at 2:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 a.m. PT. Fans in Great Britain can watch at 16:00 for the first run and 19:00 for the second.
Sunday’s giant slalom follows on December 7, starting one hour earlier than Saturday. Run one begins at 10:00 a.m. ET / 7:00 a.m. PT, and run two follows at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT. Viewers in Great Britain can tune in at 15:00 for run one and 18:00 for run two.
For U.S. viewers looking to sign up for the Ski and Snowboard Live streaming service, use this link to access available discount codes.
United States: Live and replay coverage on Ski and Snowboard Live.
Canada: Stream on CBC Sports.
Great Britain: Both races air live on Discovery+
North Americans Racing: World Cup Start List and FIS Rankings — FIS Rank Shown if Outside Top 30 on WCSL
- Paula Moltzan, WCSL 7th, 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
- Britt Richardson, WCSL 18th, Alpine Canada Alpine, CA, Calgary Alpine Racing Club
- Mikaela Shiffrin, WCSL 25th, Stifel USST, Burke Mountain Academy, Atomic
- Elisabeth Bocock, WCSL 33rd, FIS Rank 17th, Stifel USST, Rowmark Ski Academy
- Cassidy Gray, WCSL 50th, FIS Rank 50th, Alpine Canada Alpine, Team Panorama, Atomic
- Justine Lamontagne, FIS Rank 128th, Mont Sainte-Anne, Montana State University
- Kjersti Moritz, FIS Rank 139, Stifel USST, Middlebury College, Ski and Snowboard Club
- Kendra Giesbrecht, FIS Rank 170, Banff Alpine Racers, *First World Cup
About the Author: Peter Lange
