Franziska Gritsch/Courtesy of Eric Brandolini
The Women’s North American Cup circuit continued in Canada from January 6–9, with back-to-back Giant Slalom races at Mont-Tremblant followed by slalom action at Sommet Saint-Sauveur. With World Cup points, Olympic quotas, and international rankings on the line, the series once again drew a deep and globally competitive field, reinforcing the Nor-Am’s role as a critical proving ground on the road to the World Cup.
World Cup Conditions Welcome the Women to Tremblant
The series opened at Mont-Tremblant on the World Cup race hill, where athletes were met with firm, fast, and consistent snow conditions despite a packed winter calendar. The surface held up exceptionally well, allowing racers to push the pace and reward clean, committed skiing.
In the opening Giant Slalom, Austria’s Franziska Gritsch continued her strong Nor-Am form, taking the victory and further establishing herself as a dominant force in this season’s technical events. She carried confidence from racing the World Cup GS on the same hill earlier in December. Canada’s Justine Lamontagne delivered a standout performance on home snow, finishing second just +0.36 behind Gritsch. Fellow Canadian Arianne Forget claimed third (+1.13), narrowly edging Italy’s Francesca Fanti, who finished fourth (+1.14). Adriana Jelinkova of the Czech Republic rounded out the top five, highlighting the depth of the international field.
Women’s Mont-Tremblant NorAm GS One — Finish Order (01/06/2026)
• 1st — Franziska Gritsch (AUT)- 2:12.62
• 2nd — Justine Lamontagne (CAN) — (+0.36)
• 3rd — Arianne Forget (CAN) — (+1.13)
• 4th — Francesca Fanti (ITA) — (+1.14)
• 5th — Adriana Jelinkova (CZE)- (+2.10)
Trocker Answers Back in GS Two
The second Giant Slalom saw another shift at the top, as Italy’s Anna Trocker responded with a commanding performance to take the win. Austria’s Gritsch backed up her victory with a strong second-place finish, continuing her run of consistency. Italy’s Francesca Fanti once again showed technical precision in third, while two young American athletes, Logan Grosdidier and Katie Rowekamp, impressed with fourth- and fifth-place finishes respectively.
Both Grosdidier and Rowekamp continue to prove they belong at this level, holding their own against seasoned World Cup and Europa Cup competitors while gaining valuable experience and points.
Women’s Mont-Tremblant NorAm GS Two — Finish Order (01/07/2026)
• 1st — Anna Trocker (ITA)- 2:10.23
• 2nd — Franziska Gritsch (AUT)- (+1.54)
• 3rd — Francesca Fanti (ITA)- (+1.97)
• 4th — Logan Grosdidier (USA)- (+2.08)
• 5th — Katie Rowekamp (USA)- (+2.40)
Historic Slalom Stop at Sommet Saint-Sauveur
The tour then shifted south to Sommet Saint-Sauveur, Quebec which hosted Nor-Am races for the first time in its history. Known for its technical layout and energetic race atmosphere, the Quebec venue welcomed the women for two slalom races on January 8–9, marking a significant milestone for both the hill and the Nor-Am circuit.
Assistant coach for the Canadian Women’s Development Team, Leslie Firstbrook, noted that while the terrain itself may appear straightforward, the hill demands commitment and precision to ski fast.
“It’s not tricky in terms of terrain, but it’s one of those deceptively hard hills to be fast on,” Firstbrook said. “You really had to charge, especially through the flats, and that’s where we saw people make mistakes.”
Despite being a first-time Nor-Am host, Sommet Saint-Sauveur delivered challenging and engaging race conditions that rewarded precision, clean skiing, and good tactics, providing a true test for the deep and international slalom field.
Slalom One — January 8
Canada’s Kiki Alexander capitalized, claiming victory in the opening slalom and earning a memorable win at the historic event. Austria’s Franziska Gritsch continued her consistent run across disciplines, finishing second just +0.12 behind Alexander, while Sarah Bennett, racing independently for Canada, added another podium to her impressive Nor-Am campaign in third (+0.14). Italy’s Giorgia Collomb placed fourth, and American Kjersti Moritz rounded out the top five.
Alexander arrived in Quebec fresh off a demanding World Cup stretch, racing in Kranjska Gora before flying back to Canada overnight to compete in the Nor-Am events.
“Being mostly full-time on the World Cup this season has been so fun and full of learning experiences,” Alexander said. “I’ve been skiing really well in training and working hard on bringing that level of skiing into race day. I was super happy to come away with a win on the first day in Saint-Sauveur.”
She added that the Nor-Am races provided an important confidence boost as she looks ahead to upcoming World Cup starts.
“These Nor-Ams definitely helped my race-day confidence, and hopefully I can carry some of that into the World Cup,” she said. “I’ve raced Saint-Sauveur once before, and it’s a really fun hill. It’s a super chill run, and it was great to be able to push hard on race day.”
Women’s Sommet Saint-Sauveur NorAm Slalom One — Finish Order (01/08/2026)
• 1st — Kiki Alexander (CAN)- 1:40.86
• 2nd — Franziska Gritsch (AUT) — (+0.12)
• 3rd — Sarah Bennett (CAN) — (+0.14)
• 4th — Giorgia Collomb (ITA) — (+0.44)
• 5th — Kjersti Moritz (USA) — (+0.53)
Slalom Two — January 9
The second slalom delivered a strong American showing, with Kjersti Moritz of the U.S. Europa Cup Team rebounding to take the win. Teammate Logan Grosdidier followed closely in second, continuing her standout Nor-Am season. Canada’s Sarah Bennett once again demonstrated remarkable consistency, finishing third and adding crucial points toward the overall standings.
Kiki Alexander, representing Canada’s Slalom World Cup Team, finished fourth (+0.52), while Mia Hunt of the University of Denver rounded out the top five in fifth (+0.56).
Women’s Sommet Saint-Sauveur NorAm Slalom Two — Finish Order (01/09/2026)
• 1st — Kjersti Moritz (USA) — 1:38.65
• 2nd — Logan Grosdidier (USA) — (+.24)
• 3rd — Sarah Bennett (CAN) — (+.34)
• 4th — Kiki Alexander (CAN) — (+0.52)
• 5th — Mia Hunt (USA) — (+0.56)
A Truly International Nor-Am Field
As the Nor-Am series progresses, the level of international participation continues to stand out. European athletes traveled to North America specifically to capitalize on early-season opportunities, aiming to lower their FIS rankings and build momentum ahead of major international starts. With athletes from Austria, Italy, Canada, the United States, and the Czech Republic all factoring into podium and top-five positions, the competitiveness of the circuit remains exceptionally high.
Standings Update: Consistency Takes Center Stage
After four Giant Slalom races on the Nor-Am calendar, Franziska Gritsch now leads the GS discipline standings, followed closely by Anna Trocker in second. Sarah Bennett, racing independently for Canada, sits third in the Giant Slalom standings — a reflection of her steady performances across both speed and technical events.
More notably, Bennett currently leads the overall Nor-Am standings, underscoring a fundamental truth of the circuit: consistency is rewarded. With strong results across Super-G, Giant Slalom, and Slalom, Bennett has positioned herself as one of the most well-rounded athletes in the field and a serious contender as the season progresses.
Looking Ahead
The Women’s Nor-Am circuit continues in Whiteface Mountain, New York, where the next block of races will begin with downhill training runs on February 2, marking a return to speed events as athletes shift focus toward longer skis and faster terrain.
Following Whiteface, the tour heads back to Canada for a technical series in Bromont, Quebec, where the women will compete in slalom and giant slalom races from February 10–13. With the Nor-Am calendar condensed and points increasingly critical, the upcoming stops will play a key role in shaping both discipline and overall standings as the season moves deeper into its decisive phase.
About the Author: Katie Twible
