Jessie Diggins launched her final World Cup season with a statement performance in Ruka, Finland, delivering her best-ever result on the storied 10k classic course and showing strong early-season form while wearing the yellow bib. Zak Ketterson led the men to a 14th place finish, a career-best individual result. 

For the past 13 seasons, Ruka has served as the opening World Cup stop—a venue known for setting the tone of the year and testing athletes immediately. The women went out first. Diggins entered today’s event ranked as the No. 1 skier in the world after bringing home the overall FIS Crystal Globe last season—an honor she has now won three times. 

For Diggins, this race also marked the last “first start” of her career. Ruka’s opening weekend is notoriously brutal—defined by steep, punchy climbs, fast technical descents, little rest and the infamous “Ruka Climb” into the stadium. That final climb averages a 14% gradient with pitches that spike to 17%—a wall of a finish. 

At the halfway mark at 5k, Diggins sat sixth, only 16 seconds off the lead of Sweden's Frida Karlsson, posting times that kept pressure on the front of the race. In the final kilometers, Diggins began putting down some of the fastest splits in the field and held her position through the line as athletes continued to finish. She moved up to fifth place, marking a new career best for the 10k classic in Ruka. 

Karlsson was untouchable from start to finish, claiming the win with another dominant performance, her second consecutive win in the Ruka 10k classic. Norway’s Heidi Weng finished second and Karlsson’s teammate Ebba Andersson rounded out the podium in third.

Kikkan Randall, Olympic champion and longtime friend to Diggins, summed up the moment: “When you know it's your final season, and you've already done everything, she can just come in here and ski with reckless abandon.”

“My goals for the whole season are to be happy, healthy and in the present moment," said Diggins, post race. "Really soak it in, because this is the last time I get to do this, and that's really special to me. And so, I was just thinking about going out there and smashing a 10k in Ruka one last time and laying it all out. And, as usual, in a race one of my goals is to cross the finish line with nothing left and today, I did that. I was really happy with the race. There were people out there chanting ‘last one, last one,’ which was so cool because I felt the support and love from so many people from so many countries. For the actual race result, it was super exciting to have my best-ever Ruka classic 10k. My combo of kick and glide on a tricky day was great. All said and done, I am coming into the season right where I want to be.”

Seven U.S. men started the race, signaling the depth of a men’s program that enters the season as one of the strongest in U.S. history. Conditions added an extra layer of difficulty; as the race went on, the course began to ice up, making it difficult for athletes to engage their kick zones cleanly. Many athletes battled icing throughout the event, leading to significant time losses on the steeper sections.

But the conditions and tempo of the field did not stop Ketterson from delivering a standout day, earning his career-best individual World Cup result—surpassing his previous top finish of 15th at the 2022 Falun World Cup.

At the end of the day, Norway’s Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget won the day, over the second-place winner, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. Austria’s Mika Vermeulen delivered a surprise performance in third.

The U.S. has 14 athletes racing today. For the men, Ben Ogden was 34th, Gus Schumacher 37th, Zanden McMullen 49th, JC Schoonmaker 62nd, John Steel Hagenbuch 64th and Luke Jager 68th. For the women, Rosie Brennan was 24th, Julia Kern 42nd, Sophia Laukli 48th, Kendall Kramer 50th, Alayna Sonnesyn 54th, and Kate Oldham 73rd. 

Saturday, the team is back for the skate sprint, with finals live on skiandsnowboard.live at 5:25 a.m. ET.

RESULTS
Women
Men

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Ryan Cochran-Siegle snagged 10th place in the season opener super-G in front of a domestic crowd at the Stifel Copper Cup presented by United Airlines. River Radamus also landed in the top 30 in 22nd and Kyle Negomir was 24th. 

It was an exciting day as men's World Cup racing returned to Copper Mountain for the first time in 49 years. Cochran-Siegle kicked off the race wearing bib one. Despite flat light, he knifed his turns and pushed the limits, but on the last pitch, Cochran-Siegle fell onto his hip and lost all momentum. He somehow managed to pop up and finish for a miraculous recovery.

“I didn't get enough space entering that left footer around the bend, so then that fall away just kept pulling and I didn't get enough direction for that one right footer. But the snow was great,” said Cochran-Siegle. 

Even with the error, Cochran-Siegle still ended up in the top 10 - his best super-G result in nearly two years - and something he will be able to use heading into the speed events at the Stifel Birds of Prey. 

“I honestly didn't feel that I skied that well until I got into the flats,” said Cochran-Siegle. “To still be competitive until that last split, I think there's definitely something to take from that and I have more gas in the tank.” 

The crowd continued to buzz throughout the late morning and into the afternoon, but revved up as each American stood in the start gate. Radamus came down flying with solid splits throughout the course, but held back a little on the bottom to land safely within the top 30. Negomir was the next big moment for the American squad, fighting through illness to end up 24th. 

“We're all pushing right to the absolute limit, but there were a couple of gotcha turns down the bottom that we're taking some names for today,” said Radamus. 

It was an exciting day for young Tanner Perkins in bib 69, who chased the world's fastest skiers to the finish to take 51st place in his first ever World Cup. He smiled in the finish and took off his helmet to show off his haircut to the fans. It's been a long-standing tradition on the men's team to give a haircut to the rookie starting his first World Cup race - and the crowd loves Perkins' American flag-inspired 'do. 

“The biggest thing I feel is I just want to push harder and ski faster and risk even more every time,” said Perkins. “I did a good job remembering that this is just ski racing and it's still just a sport at the end of the day.” 

Finally, it was the great return of Norwegian Aleks Aamodt Kilde to the World Cup after nearly two seasons away from the sport after a crash in Wengen, Switzerland. The athletes and fans were on their feet to welcome the great downhiller back to the World Cup tour. It was a special moment for Kilde and the ski racing community, including his fiancée and Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Mikaela Shiffrin, who greeted him in the finish. 

Sam Morse, Wiley Maple, Bryce Bennett and Jared Goldberg landed in 52nd, 60th, 61st and 65th, respectively. The winner of the race was the Swiss phenom Marco Odermatt, while Austria's Vincent Kreichmayer and Raphael Haaser were second and third. 

The racing continues Friday with a men’s giant slalom. 

RESULTS
Men's super-G

The Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team kicked off their World Cup season in the fridge this morning, where Kate Delson and Noah Elliott took home wins and Zach Miller finished in third in banked slalom. 

Landgraaf, Netherlands, is a familiar kick-off point for the team, having started their seasons there for the last four years. The indoor facility offers a unique opportunity to start racing earlier in the season, and it is a stop that continuously brings excellent results for the U.S. 

In qualification, Delson took the top spot for the LL1/LL2 women and Elliott for the LL1 men. They continued this momentum into the big finals, where both held on to the top spot and took home the win. Miller finished on the podium in the men’s LL2 classification and Brenna Huckaby finished third for the LL women. Outside of finals, Mike Schultz and Keith Gabel both finished sixth in their classifications, followed by Joe Pleban and Rebecca Johnston, both taking 10th and Dennae Russel in 12th. 

"Super stoked to kick off the first competition of this season with my first banked slalom podium and win," said Delson. "I am incredibly grateful to be a part of this team. With the training opportunities we’ve had this summer, I was able to push my riding to get these results. I'm proud of the whole team, it’s only November, and we are just accelerating up from here."

Tomorrow, the team is back in the banks starting at 3:30 am ET.  

RESULTS
Women
Men

The Audi FIS Ski World Cup tour is coming back to the United States for two weeks and there are easy and free ways to watch every event across both the Stifel Copper Cup presented by United Airlines at Copper Mountain and Stifel Birds of Prey. The broadcast at the Stifel Birds of Prey is presented by Cloudflare.

A reminder that Outside TV is free to watch live, but replays of the race are behind a paywall. All NBC and CNBC coverage is simulcast on Peacock, but will not be available on demand.

HOW TO WATCH (all times ET)

STIFEL COPPER CUP PRESENTED BY UNITED AIRLINES

Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025

1:00 p.m. – men’s super-G – LIVE on Outside TV (free)

Friday, Nov. 28, 2025

12:00 p.m. – men’s giant slalom, run 1 – LIVE on Outside TV (free)

3:00 p.m. – men’s giant slalom, run 2 – LIVE on Outside TV (free)

Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025

12:00 p.m. – women’s giant slalom, run 1 – LIVE on Outside TV (free)

1:00 p.m. – men’s super-G – tape delay on NBC & Peacock

3:00 p.m. – women’s giant slalom, run 2 – LIVE on Outside TV (free)

Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025

12:00 p.m. – women’s slalom, run 1 – LIVE on Outside TV (free)

1:00 p.m. – women’s giant slalom – tape delay on NBC & Peacock

2:00 p.m. – men’s giant slalom – tape delay on CNBC & Peacock

3:00 p.m. – women’s slalom, run 2 – LIVE on Outside TV (free), CNBC & Peacock

STIFEL BIRDS OF PREY – BROADCAST PRESENTED BY CLOUDFLARE

Thursday, Dec. 5, 2025

1:00 p.m. – men’s downhill – LIVE on Outside TV (free)

Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025

12:30 p.m. – men’s super-G – LIVE on Outside TV (free)

5:00 p.m. – men’s downhill – tape delay on NBC & Peacock

Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025

12:00 p.m. – men’s giant slalom, run 1 – LIVE on Outside TV (free)

12:30 p.m. – men’s super-G – tape delay on NBC & Peacock

3:00 p.m. – men’s giant slalom, run 2 – LIVE on Outside TV (free), CNBC & Peacock

In the second slalom of the season in Gurgl, Austria, Mikaela Shiffrin delivered another commanding performance to claim her 103rd World Cup victory and 66th World Cup slalom win. Stifel U.S. Ski Team teammate Paula Moltzan also skied to an impressive fifth-place finish.

Conditions on the Austrian slope were brisk and unforgiving, with a tricky course set and aggressively dry snow that challenged the entire field. Shiffrin, however, attacked from the start with her trademark precision, building a 0.31-second lead after run one.

“There is some improvement to be made,” said Shiffrin. “This run I want to shoot to be more clean. But my run was very good, so we will see.”

Moltzan followed with a solid first run, shaking off a few small bobbles to land in sixth. The rest of the U.S. crew opened the day strong as well, with Nina O’Brien skiing into 20th and AJ Hurt into 29th, setting the stage for an exciting second run.

“I think my first run was chaotic,” said Moltzan. “I want to work on minimizing my mistakes with more tactics in the tricky sections. I am going to go for it.”

As the second run began, the anticipation grew amongst the lively Austrian crowd. Hurt and O’Brien were the first Americans to push out of the gate, but unfortunately, neither skier reached the finish. Both are OK.

Moltzan delivered the U.S. team’s momentum shift, charging through deep ruts and grooves to take the hot seat at the finish. She ultimately moved up one spot, but the remaining skiers had strong enough runs to keep her in fifth.

Then came Shiffrin. Unshaken and all business, she skied to her limit, gaining time at nearly every interval and winning by a remarkable 1.23 seconds. Shiffrin has yet to lose a slalom run this season, sending a clear message that she remains in peak form. Albania’s Lara Colturi finished second, and Switzerland’s Camille Rast rounded out the podium in third.

Up next, the women head back home to the United States for the Stifel Copper Cup presented by United Airlines at Copper Mountain, Colorado, Nov. 29-30.

RESULTS
Women's slalom

After an endless supply of sunny days during training, Mother Nature showed up in force, bringing in weather that does not mix well with slopestyle skiing. Therefore, the first 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games slopestyle qualifying event and FIS Freeski World Cup for the men was canceled — women's qualifying results became final results. 

Stifel U.S. Freeski Team athlete Grace Henderson led the women, finishing sixth in qualifications, meaning Henderson's final result in the first World Cup of the season was sixth. Teammate Marin Hamill finished eighth. Hamill secured the last spot in the finals during the qualification round, which, luckily, resulted in a top-10 finish. Rookie Avery Krumme made her World Cup debut in Stubai, finishing 20th.

The men had both qualifications and finals canceled due to the storms. The Stubai podium has been kind to Americans in the past three years, with Colby Stevenson, Alex Hall and Mac Forehand all taking home Stubai hardware.

The Stifel U.S. Freeski Team has no time to rest; they ship off tomorrow to Secret Garden, China, for the first big air World Cup of the year. Qualifications are scheduled for Friday, Nov. 28, with finals on Sunday, Nov. 30. Finals will be available to stream on skiandsnowboard.live. 

Halfpipe is back in action in China in early December. 

RESULTS
Women

Born and raised in Mammoth, California, Kate Gray has been skiing since before she can remember. She brought home the bronze in halfpipe at the 2024 Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea, and has set her sights on the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games.

Last season, Gray represented the U.S. at World Championships in all three freeski disciplines, became the first woman to land a bone roll in competition and maintained her status as the only athlete named to both the slopestyle/big air and halfpipe teams.

Gray is the latest athlete featured in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s “On the Rise” series, presented by Zions Bank. Through community service, sponsorships and charitable donations, Zions Bank is committed to fueling economic growth and enhancing quality of life in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming.

We caught up with Grayto dive into his background, reflect on a season of milestones, and look ahead to his goals for 2025-26.

Q: What initially drew you to the sport of freeskiing?

A: It just kind of happened. I was always following my older brothers around, and when they started riding park I followed in their footsteps. 

Q: When you were younger and getting into the sport, what were your goals? 

A: I wanted to be as good as the boys on my team growing up. I wanted to push the sport and work up the ranks to ski with the pros.

Q: What is your biggest accomplishment?

A: My biggest accomplishment so far has making both the slopestyle and halfpipe teams, and being the first woman to land a bone roll.

Q: What is your ultimate goal? 

A: I would love to go to the Olympics one day. But I would also like to be a part of progressing freeskiing in general. Eventually I would love to get into filming in the streets or the backcountry.

Q: Who are your heroes? Both in & out of the sport?

A: My heroes are definitely my parents and my brothers, I look up to all of them a lot. In skiing, I love getting to watch all my teammates. When I was younger, I looked up to Carly Marguiles a lot, as she was a Mammoth Olympian.

Q: You win $5,000 in prize money: What do you do with it?

A: I would try to save as much as possible, but probably end up spending a lot of it to help fund my travel during the season.

Q: Do you budget or follow any structure related to spending?

A: Not really, I try to be thoughtful of what I spend money on and save whenever I can.

Q: What’s one money habit you follow?

A: I track all my expenses throughout the season (equipment, travel, etc.), so next year I can make smarter money decisions in the years to come.

Follow Kate on her social media channels. 

The Most Decorated U.S. Cross Country Skier In History Will Race One Final Season 

Jessie Diggins, Stifel U.S. Cross Country Team member and the most decorated cross country skier in U.S. history, formally announces her retirement from cross country ski racing following the end of the 2025-26 season. It will be the Afton, Minnesota-born skier’s final season, beginning with the first race in Ruka, Finland, Nov. 28, through Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina and concluding at the Stifel Lake Placid Finals in Lake Placid, New York, March 19-22, 2026. 

Diggins, now 34, has won nearly every title possible in ski racing, including three Olympic medals, including Team USA’s first cross country Olympic gold medal in 2018 with teammate Kikkan Randall, seven World Championship medals, 29 World Cup victories, 79 World Cup podiums, two overall Tour de Ski trophies, three distance FIS Crystal Globes and three coveted overall FIS Crystal Globes, marking her the #1 skier in the world. Her relentless ability to give no less than 100 percent is her signature, and it has propelled her to the top of the sport. Still, it’s not the accolades that define Diggins’ career; it's her unwavering commitment to leaving the sport better than she found it. 

“I hope I’m remembered not just for the pain cave and ability to suffer deeply for a team that I love and a sport I care about so much, but for the joy, sense of fun on snow, heart-on-sleeve racing, deep vulnerability and openness that I’ve brought to everything I do,” said Diggins.

Skiing has always been a part of Diggins’ life. When she was younger, her parents would trek around the midwestern backwoods with their daughter in a backpack. Fast forward to high school and the backwoods pursuits turned competitive. The young girl from Minnesota quickly became one to watch—winning state championships, earning the title of top-ranked high school skier in Minnesota and capturing Junior National titles before catching the attention of the U.S. Ski Team coaches. She made the national team in 2011 but broke through at the 2016 Tour de Ski, where she won her first individual World Cup race, foreshadowing the success to come. 14 years later, Diggins now leads the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team as the veteran, guiding a decorated women’s group and the strongest men’s team in history, and holds the title as the most successful American cross country skier of all time. 

“Firstly, I want to congratulate Jessie on such a historic career,” said Sophie Goldchmidt, President & CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “As an organization, we are thankful for the culture she has helped build on the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team alongside the excellent coaching staff and athletes, and the impact she has had on the world of ski racing. And as a person, I count myself lucky to have been at U.S. Ski & Snowboard at the same time as this remarkable role model, to have watched her compete, stand up for what she believes in and make us all better in the process. As said many times in the last couple of seasons, when Jessie wins, we all win. And we will continue cheering her this season and with her post-athletic next endeavors.”

But an athlete is never alone in their success. Since the beginning of her professional career, Diggins has worked with World Cup coach and wax technician Jason Cork. “It’s been really gratifying to work with Jessie for going on 16 seasons,” said Cork. “She’s had tons of success, which has made me look good, but just getting results has never been the goal.” Two decades later, Cork and Diggins are still working together. “I’m proud that throughout her career, she has accomplished so much in the right way – through hard, smart training, constantly setting goals, taking care of herself, and doing it all cleanly,” he added. The duo will continue for one more winter, until the final lunge across the finish line in March. 

Diggins' influence on the sport goes far beyond the snow. While her achievements were the main headlines, she had been quietly working to make an impact off the course ever since she entered the professional circuit at 19. 

“I’m proud of how hard I’ve worked to lead a team as well as how I’ve worked to help change an entire sport’s culture around mental health — how we talk about it, how we’re allowed to ask for help and how we help athletes in need. I’ve tried to become the advocate and role model that 18-year-old Jessie needed. Whether or not I’ve succeeded in that, I am deeply proud of having the courage to put my own life story out there to bring about the change I wanted to see.”

Through her work with organizations like Share Winter, Protect Our Winters or the Emily Program, Diggins was steadfast in her efforts to get more young kids involved in winter sports, educating her followers about the effects of climate change, and developing awareness around mental health and eating disorders, a topic to which she has a deep personal connection.

With the start of her last World Cup season just days away, Diggins is continuing to rewrite the narrative, reminding us that it's not all about the wins, but about what happens before and after the result. Through her 15-year professional career, countless storylines may define it, but one stands above the rest: with glitter on your face and a commitment to leaving everything on the snow, you can be the best in the world and still find joy in the process. 

Jessie will conclude her illustrious career fittingly at home in the United States. The Stifel Lake Placid Finals, March 19-22, 2026, in Lake Placid, NY, with three races: a skate sprint, 10k classic and 20k skate. 

Diggins’s Historic Career By the Numbers

World Cup

• Starts: 358
• Podiums: 79
• Victories: 29

Olympics

• Games: 3 (Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022)
• Starts: 16
• Medals: 3 (gold, team sprint, PyeongChang 2018; silver, 30k freestyle & bronze, sprint, Beijing 2022)

World Championships

• World Championships: 8
• Starts: 34
• Medals: 7

Records Set

• Most decorated American cross country skier in history
• First American to win an Olympic gold medal in cross country skiing, alongside Kikkan Randall in the team sprint (2018)
• First American to win an individual Olympic medal in a cross country sprint race (2022)
• First American to win an individual World Championships gold medal (10k skate, Planica, Slovenia, 2023)
• Set a record for overall FIS Crystal Globe victories (three: 2021, 2023, 2025)
  • In 2021, Diggins became the first American woman to win an overall title and the first American to win the globe since Bill Koch in 1982
  • Only non-European to have won the overall FIS Crystal Globe
• Holds the U.S. record for FIS World Cup victories (29)
• First American to win the overall FIS Tour de Ski trophy (2021, 2024)
• Awarded the Holmenkollen Medal, the highest Norwegian honor in skiing, becoming the first American ever to receive the distinction (2024)

###

Quotes Appendix

"It’s been an absolute privilege to watch the transformation of Jessie Diggins from a sparkle chipmunk at Junior Nationals all the way up to being the World’s number one-ranked female skier. She came onto our team as the little sister and transformed into a seasoned leader. As a teammate, I had the chance to witness firsthand Jessie’s passion, dedication, and grit on her quest to be the best in the world. We laughed together, we cried together and it was the absolute highlight of my career to have shared so many great moments, including our World Championship win in 2013 and our Olympic gold medal win in 2018. She’s had an incredible career and I can’t wait to see her cap it off with her best season yet and be there in Lake Placid to celebrate with her."
- Kikkan Randall, U.S. Cross Country Ski Team

“I am so excited to celebrate Jessie in her final season. She has been a huge inspiration in the sport and beyond, and her joy and wholehearted presence are so uplifting and contagious. She has built a beautiful legacy and has shown that when you have the right combination of passion, sparkle and the ability to be true to yourself, you can move mountains.” 
 - Mikaela Shiffrin, Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team

“Jessie has had an incredible career, and as a fan, I will miss watching her dominate with that heart-warming smile and sparkles on her face. Jessie has inspired so many people, not just with her outstanding athletic achievements, but also for how she conducted herself off the snow. With her honest and open approach to her struggles, she has helped so many people in ways that reach far beyond sport. Thank you, Jessie, for inspiring me and showing the world who you are for so many years.”
- Lindsey Vonn, Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team

“Even though Jessie and I compete in different disciplines, her legacy reaches far beyond cross country skiing. Her work ethic, positivity and relentless belief in what’s possible have inspired me and so many others to dream bigger and push harder — including leading me to do a celebratory jump on the World Cup podium! She’s shown what it means to lead with heart and to lift everyone around her, and I try to carry that energy with me.”
- Paula Moltzan, Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team

“There is so much to say, but Jessie has been there for me as a mentor, teammate and friend since my first day on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team. I couldn’t be more grateful. I truly feel like I've won the lottery having her by my side over the past decade. From learning how to train to become the best in the world, to having fun along the way, to navigating the World Cup circuit year after year, she has led by example with both grit and grace. Beyond ski results, Jessie has shown how athletes can make a lasting impact outside of competition, speaking up for the causes she cares about and using her platform to do more than just sport.”
 - Julia Kern, Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team

​​”Jessie has been an incredible role model and teacher for me. I feel very fortunate to have been her teammate for so long. Her ability to dominate the world stage while remaining humble, thoughtful and kind is something I will always aspire to.”
- Ben Ogden, Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team

“Jessie Diggins is skiing. She is perseverance, grit, personality and spunk. She is a profound inspiration to girls and athletes from all over, of what it means to be a winner, a mentor, a leader and a true American!”
- Nick Goepper, Stifel U.S. Freeski Team

“Jessie, huge congratulations on an incredible career! You’ve always inspired me and so many others with your passion, positivity, and unmatched work ethic. Enjoy retirement, you’ve more than earned it. And please don’t pick up halfpipe skiing… I’m genuinely worried you’d take my job.”
- Hunter Hess, Stifel U.S. Freeski Team, Halfpipe Team

“Jessie has always been such a huge inspiration to me! Not just for what she’s accomplished, but for how she’s done it. The way she carries herself, competes with her heart and lifts others around her shows what we, as women athletes, are truly capable of. She’s shown that success isn’t just about talent, but about resilience, passion and the belief that you can push boundaries not just for yourself, but for the next generation of women in sport.”
- Jaelin Kauf, Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, Moguls Team

“I’ve had the pleasure of crossing paths with Jessie through U.S. Ski & Snowboard, shared sponsors and Protect Our Winters. Her infectious smile and positive attitude toward any situation is genuinely inspirational. I feel so lucky to have spent time with a cross country legend and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”
- Bea Kim, Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team

​​Eli Lilly and Company Becomes Presenting Partner of Team USA HERoic, Amplified Across Seven National Governing Bodies Through the Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

Park City, UT (Nov. 17, 2025) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard officially announces the expansion of its women’s initiative, HERoic, to include seven National Governing Bodies (NGBs), becoming the Team USA HERoic for the 2025-26 season. Lilly becomes the presenting partner of the platform, supporting seven winter NGBs. This partnership provides financial support for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard organization and increases visibility for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard HERoic initiative through the 2025-26 season.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s HERoic Initiative was launched in 2022, with a focus on celebrating and empowering women in skiing and snowboarding. Since the inception of HERoic, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has increased the number of women coaches under the organization's 10 teams, hosted numerous women-centered panels at various World Cup events, established the Stifel HERoic Cup, a $50,000 prize awarded to the best woman alpine World Cup racer during the 2024-25 season at U.S. World Cup races, and more. With the collaboration between Team USA and Lilly, HERoic will now be an official campaign to celebrate women athletes when they qualify for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

“We are excited about partnering with Team USA and Lilly to expand HERoic to include more of the winter NGBs going into the Games,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “HERoic has been an important initiative for us, one that we are continuing to invest in, and this is a further step in broadening its impact. We are looking forward to showcasing the amazing women across Olympic & Paralympic winter sports this upcoming season. We are grateful for Team USA and Lilly’s support.” 

“Lilly is proud to support the Team USA HERoic platform that celebrates and uplifts women in sport and provides them the visibility they deserve,” said Jennifer Oleksiw, Global Chief Customer Officer and Group Vice President, Lilly. “HERoic has already made a meaningful impact, and together we can help accelerate that momentum for women skiers and snowboarders as they prepare for Milano Cortina 2026.”

Lilly will receive prominent broadcast integrations, venue signage and social media activations with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Team USA. 

ABOUT U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams, including the Stifel U.S. Ski Team: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, freeski, nordic combined, Para alpine and ski jumping, the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team and Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org.

ABOUT LILLY
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On Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Audi FIS World Cup slalom opener, the winningest alpine skier of all time, Mikaela Shiffrin, claimed her 102nd World Cup victory, 65th slalom win and ninth reindeer on the Levi, Finland track. Teammate Paula Moltzan landed just shy of the podium in fourth after an impressive second run jump. 

“I trusted the training with my team. We did a lot of work over the summer. The final step was mentality,” said Shiffrin. “It is starting to feel more like home. I really enjoy being here and I am so happy to kick off the slalom season.”  

The Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team had six strong women leading the charge in the slalom discipline. On run one, Shiffrin annihilated the field by almost a 1.5-second advantage with precise skiing. Moltzan was the next best American, landing in 19th for run one, with ample opportunity to move up in run two. 

Teammates Liv Moritz landed in 54th place while Nina O’Brien, AJ Hurt and Annika Hunt did not finish the first run. It was also notable Hunt's first World Cup start. 

The second run was set by U.S. coach Alek Glebov, with the surface firm and the Finnish sky dark and clear. 

Moltzan, running 11th, had a great advantage to ski cleanly and aggressively, and move up in the race – and she did. She sat in the leaderboard chair for more than 15 racers until she ultimately ended up just off the podium in fourth place. 

"After a challenging first run I knew I needed to shift into another gear to find a lot of time," said Moltzan. "I am super happy with my skiing second run, I felt like I was able to make some of my best turns."

All eyes were on Shiffrin as she set the pace early on with her killer first run. She skied flawlessly and confidently, gaining time at each turn. Shiffrin crossed the line to win by 1.6 seconds and take her 102nd win and 65th slalom win. In Levi, the annual prize for first place includes a live reindeer, and with her ninth win on the Levi track, Shiffrin secured her ninth reindeer. Someone should call up Santa Claus, because he can retire now! 

"Mikaela put on an absolute clinic on how to ski Levi - she continues to impress everyone with her skiing," said Moltzan.

Young Albanian skier Lara Colturi – who was celebrating her 19th birthday – made up the remainder of the podium in second, with German star Emma Aicher in third. 

With the victory, Shirffrin leads the overall World Cup standings, with Moltzan in second. 

The next women’s slalom will be in Gurgl in just over a week. On Sunday, Nov. 16, the men will take on the Levi slalom track. 

Results
Women's slalom