Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games Qualification Update – A Big Weekend for Aussie Athletes

January 9th, 2026
Valentino Guseli, into the finals again and looking to make it three wins in a row in Aspen tomorrow..

Mountainwatch | Press Release

With just under one month to go until the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, this weekend’s World Cup events offer some of the last opportunities for athletes to secure selection for the Australian Olympic Team.

The qualification period will conclude on 18 January, following which Snow Australia will submit nominations to the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) for selection. The AOC will then undertake the official selection process, with a team announcement expected in late January, ahead of the Games starting on 6 February.

Performances over the coming days will be critical as athletes make their final attempts to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics. For more information on the selection process for each discipline – click here.

Laura Peel is back in form, winning in Canada yesterday.

Aussies in Action

Australia’s Flying Kangaroos have one final World Cup before the end of the qualification period, Lake Placid, USA hosting six Aussies (Reilly Flanagan, Airleigh Frigo, Laura Peel, Danielle Scott, Sidney Stephens and Abbey Willcox) on 12-13 January.

Alpine’s Greta Small (World Cup – Zaunchensee, AUT), Hugh McAdam (World Cup – Adelboden, SUI), as well as Phoebe Heaydon and Madison Hoffman (World Cup – Flachau, AUT) will all compete over the coming week. In Para Alpine Josh Hanlon will race in the Downhill and Super G events at Saalbach, Austria, while Alpine Snowboarders Millie Bongiorno and Harvey Edmanson will take to the slopes at the World Cup in Scuol, SUI.

Aspen (USA) is hosting the penultimate Park and Pipe – Ski and Snowboard World Cup of the qualification period with 12 Aussies taking part – Indra Brown (Ski HP), Joey Elliss (Ski SS), Valentino Guseli (SB HP, SS), Jesse Parkinson (SB SS), Josh Robertson-Hahn (SB SS), Emily Arthur (SB HP), Tess Coady (SB SS), Amelie Haskell (SB HP), Tess Coady (SB SS) Ally Hickman (SB SS), Meila Stalker (SB SS) and Misaki Vaughan (SB HP).

Meila Stalker, into another final and one step closer to Olympic qualification. Photo: FIS Park and Pipe

Qualification rounds concluded today and it has been a successful event for Australia’s female athletes with Indra Brown, Amelie Haskell, Tess Cody and Meila Stalker qualifying for tomorrow’s finals. Valentino Guseli also qualified in second place for the men’s snowboard  halfpipe final.

Athletes will then travel to Laax, SUI for the final event before the close of qualifications.

Mogul skiers Matt Graham, Jackson Harvey, George Murphy, Cooper Woods, Jakara Anthony, Emma Bosco and Charlotte Wilson will all compete at the Canadian World Cup in Val St Come ahead of the final World Cup at Waterville, USA.

Matt Graham and Jakara Anthony looking for another double win this weekend. Photo: OWIA/Hocking

SnowLive

Snow Australia in conjunction with FISTV and ISMF are excited to provide Aussie snowsport fans the opportunity to stream ski and snowboard World Cup events live from around the World! Follow the links below to watch our Aussies in Action, all FIS events here, and SkiMo races here.