Saalbach race arena. Credit: GEPA
Women’s Team Combined: A New Event Debuts at the World Championships
The Women’s Team Combined will make its World Championship debut on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the Saalbach 2025 Alpine World Championships. The event, which will also be featured at 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. The combined time of both athletes will determine the winner.
A Two-Run Format
The downhill run will begin at 10:00 a.m. CET, with teams selecting their speed specialists to compete. The downhill results will determine the slalom start list and reverse the results, with the fastest downhill team running last. The second run, a slalom, will start at 13:15 CET, featuring technical skiers who must perform under pressure after their teammates’ downhill results. Each country can enter a maximum of four teams, allowing for strategic choices based on athlete strengths.
A Test for Future Popularity
The Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS) aims to increase audience engagement with this format, hoping it will resonate with Olympic and World Championship viewers. However, introducing the event on the World Cup circuit brings significant challenges. Small nations may struggle or be unable to field competitive teams. If World Cup points were awarded, combining the performances of two separate athletes would unfairly influence the individual overall standings.
Without World Cup points, prize money would need to be substantial to attract top competitors. At this stage, no clear solution exists for its inclusion in the World Cup calendar.
Replacing the Mixed-Team Parallel
This event replaces the Mixed Team Parallel, which will not be held at the 2026 Olympics due to logistical issues. The men’s and women’s Alpine events will be held in separate locations, making a mixed-gender team race impractical. The Team Combined now takes its place, providing a fresh test of versatility and teamwork.
Twenty-six pairs from 11 countries are set to compete
A Concept on Trial
This week, the first-ever high-level Women’s Team Combined will reveal whether the format can generate excitement and draw in fans. The race will test how well the speed and technical sides of ski racing can merge into a single compelling event. The reaction from athletes, coaches, and viewers will help determine whether this concept has a long-term future in Alpine skiing.
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 13 Breezy Johnson, Stifel USST, Rowmark Ski Academy, Atomic / Mikaela Shiffrin, Stifel USST, Burke Mountain Academy, Atomic, Oakley
- Team 15 Lauren Macuga, Stifel USST, Park City Ski Team, Winter Sports School / Paula Moltzan, Stifel USST, University of Vermont Ski and Snowboard Club, Oakley
- Team 18 Jacqueline Wiles, Stifel USST, White Pass Ski Club / Katie Hensien, Stifel USST, University of Denver, Rowmark Ski Academy
- Team 19 Lindsey Vonn, Stifel USST, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail. HEAD, Oakley / AJ Hurt, Stifel Stifel, Team Palisades Tahoe, HEAD
Alpine Canada Pairing
- Team 26, Cassidy Gray, ACA, Team Panorama, Atomic / Laurence St-Germain, ACA, University of Vermont, Mont Sainte-Anne
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.
Daily Program
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Downhill Start List
About the Author: Peter Lange
