6 Months on from Milano-Cortina | Cooper Woods

In less than 30 seconds, Cooper Woods’ career changed forever. 

Six months after winning Olympic gold at Milano-Cortina 2026, the men’s Moguls Olympic champion has his sights firmly on a World Championship title and another Olympic gold at the 2030 French Alps.

“It was just honestly the craziest week of my life,” he said.

Woods built into the Games through a World Cup season that had not yet delivered the results he was chasing, but found his rhythm right when he needed it. However, Woods is no stranger to an Olympic breakthrough. 

In 2022, the then 21-year-old delivered one of his best runs to date, using the crowd’s energy and the lights lining the course to fuel him. Woods left Beijing with a sixth-place finish and a new hunger for that Olympic gold.

Woods said he arrived in Italy still searching for his confidence. After placing 11th in qualification, he leaned on those around him and credits them for helping him find that spark again.

“I went into these Olympics probably not in the best way with confidence and self-belief and it’s crazy what a couple days can really do for you,” he said.

“I had a moment with my sports psychologist after the qualification, when that run didn’t go too well and I had a bit of a laugh and a cry and was just like, this is going to be pretty funny if we can turn this around in two days’ time.”

In between those two days, Woods found what he needed.

“You just go out there with the weight of the world on your shoulders, but you embrace it. You ski hard for your country, and, oh my God, I just won an Olympic gold medal,” he said.

Despite achieving what he called a childhood dream, Woods believes there is still more to come.

“Even though I won on that day, on a personal level, I still feel like I haven’t shown the world my best skiing yet,” he said.

“There were still so many mistakes I had on that day and I feel like if I can ski my best, I can be one of the most consistent skiers in the world.”

With the Northern Hemisphere season approaching, Woods has set out some of his goals, starting with next year’s World Championships in March.

“We have World Championships next year in March, so the plan is to go and win,” he said.

He also has his sights set on the World Cup overall crystal globe, with the long-term aim of defending his Olympic title in 2030.

Image Credit: Chris Hocking