Alpine Skiing & Ski Cross - 2025/26 Season Wrap

Australia’s alpine skiing and ski cross programs delivered a season of resilience and progression in 2025/26, with Olympic representation across both disciplines complemented by continued development across World Cup, European Cup and pathway competitions.

In alpine skiing, Australia fielded three athletes at Milano Cortina, with Madi Hoffman and Phoebe Heaydon making their Olympic debuts alongside Harry Laidlaw who competed at his second Games. In ski cross, Kyra Wheatley also made her Olympic debut, highlighting her continued growth on the international scene.

Alpine Skiing

Madi Hoffman’s return to competition was one of the standout stories of the season. After recovering from a double knee reconstruction, she returned to racing less than a month before the Opening Ceremony and produced a strong Olympic debut, finishing 23rd after progressing through to the second run. The result marked Australia’s best Olympic finish in women’s slalom since Zali Steggall’s bronze medal in 1998.

Hoffman carried that momentum into the remainder of the season, recording a career-best sixth overall in the Nor-Am Cup slalom standings, while also claiming victory at the Mexican National Championships in Italy and finishing fourth at the US National Championships in Vail.

Phoebe Heaydon’s rapid progression continued, with the 20-year-old earning selection for her first Olympic Games following a strong lead-in to the season, which included topping the slalom and overall standings in the Australia New Zealand Cup. She opened her Olympic campaign by finishing 34th in giant slalom before recording a DNF in slalom, her preferred event.

Heaydon’s season also included her first World Cup starts, victory at the GB Alpine Championships and a pair of top-20 European Cup results. At the Junior World Championships, she sat fourth after the opening run of the slalom before a second-run DNF ended her medal hopes.

After Australia’s top-ranked male skier Louis Muhlen-Schulte suffered a season-ending knee injury, Harry Laidlaw was selected for his second Olympic Games. He produced a solid performance in giant slalom, making the top-30 flip and finishing 29th. The race marked the final start of his career, with Laidlaw announcing his retirement from competitive skiing in March.

Greta Small continued a busy season, taking her career tally to 79 World Cup starts.

Across the broader national team, athletes gained valuable international experience throughout Europe, Asia and North America. Hugh McAdam focused his campaign on the Far East Cup circuit, finishing fourth overall in slalom with career best point results, securing himself inside the Top 100 in the world for SL.

Meanwhile, Sophie Mahon made her World Cup debut in Levi FIN and competed across European, Nor-Am and Far East Cup competitions.

Abbey Evans and Felix Sachs both competed at the Junior World Championships. Felix Sachs, returning for his second appearance, took a U18 podium in the SG placing 3rd. Evans raced extensively in Europe, while Sachs combined FIS racing in the United States with his first Nor-Am Cup starts.

Sammie Gaul marked her return from injury with a slalom victory at the Bosnia and Herzegovina National Championships and continued to race in Europe through to April.

Further depth was demonstrated across the pathway, with Henry Heaydon recording a podium at the Czech National Championships, teammate Connor Leggett with a FIS podium in Austria, while Harry and Thomas Hoffman balanced collegiate racing in the United States with Nor-Am Cup opportunities. Zali Sutton and Cate Dance also combined university competition with international racing, with Dance also making her Junior World Championships debut in Narvik NOR.

Madi Gilson competed in the technical events at her first Junior World Championships, off the back of a very strong season in Europe with multiple sub-50 point results in both GS and SL in only her second year of FIS competition. Archie Gould entered his first year of FIS with very strong performances in Europe finishing his season with both GS and SL points in the 50’s. Another first year athlete, Tana Dixon, impressed in his debut FIS season in the US finishing with SL points under 60 and his GS points at 70.

Additional international experience was gained for Emerging Talent Program athletes Sebastian Atra, Owen Clark, Lara Kelly and Max Kelly, who all competed across FIS, junior and national championship events in Europe.

There was also a solid representation across the children’s fields with athletes taking part in many of the FIS Children’s races around the globe. Xavier Lees had a standout 10th place finish in the U16 GS at the prestigious AlpeCimbra FIS Children’s Cup. In Pra Loup FRA, Will Thompson had a solid showing with a 10th place in the U16 SG and 4th place in the SL. Lilly Brauer represented Australia in the U14’s taking 4th place in the GS at Pra Loup. In North America, Isabella Konecsny had a 9th place in the U16 GS race at the 2026 edition of the Whistler Cup. Also, in attendance at Whistler Cup was U14 Ari Kinsman who had a very strong showing placing 3rd in the GS and 2nd in the SL.

Ski Cross

Kyra Wheatley made her Olympic debut in Milano Cortina, finishing 23rd after progressing through seeding into a challenging elimination heat. Drawn against two top-10 ranked athletes, she remained competitive throughout the race before finishing fourth in her heat.

The result capped a busy season in which Wheatley built on her World Cup debut from the previous year, adding 11 further starts at the highest level while consistently finishing inside the top 20 at European Cup events.

Liam Michael competed extensively across Europe and North America, earning his first World Cup points with a career-best 29th-place finish in Canada, while also recording three top-20 European Cup results.

Duncan Cowan produced one of the strongest development performances of the season. At his third Junior World Championships, he finished seventh overall after placing third in the small final. Cowan then combined with Dakota Turner to finish 10th in the mixed team event.

Cowan opened his season at the Nor-Am Cup, where he was the defending overall champion, winning one race and securing a further podium before focusing on European Cup competition, where he recorded a standout fifth-place finish in St Moritz.

Turner also impressed at her second Junior World Championships, qualifying for the small final and finishing eighth overall. She added 13 European Cup starts across the season and broke through for her first top-10 result shortly after the championships.

Emerson Facer continued to develop at European Cup level, adding two further quarter-final appearances across the season.

With athletes gaining consistent starts across World Cup, European Cup and Junior World Championships competition, Australia continues to build depth in ski cross as it develops toward future Olympic cycles.