Alpine Skiing Discussion | Qualification to Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026

[evil betty 89]

May get a new nation qualified to the Olympics this week. Henry Rivers of is racing in Cerro Castor this week and is quite close to making the standard in Slalom. 

[rafalgorka 1,821]

How's Fede Brignone and Petra Vlhova status? How's their health? Any chance we will see them in the 2026 olympics???

[Bailer 162]

Great news!

 

Petra Vlhová announced her return earlier today, stating that she wants to compete at the Olympics, if possible.

[hckošice 16,640]

16 minutes ago, Bailer said:

Great news!

 

Petra Vlhová announced her return earlier today, stating that she wants to compete at the Olympics, if possible.

Finally some positive news, we really needed to hear also good news in this country ffs

[copravolley 656]

1 hour ago, hckošice said:

Finally some positive news, we really needed to hear also good news in this country ffs

She says the same thing as Brignone, but unfortunately, time is short. In Vlhova's case, the first surgery was probably poorly performed and why this braek is so long. For both, I think the latest return to the World Cup is December. Goggia skipped Soelden last year and returned to the USA in December. Another question is what starting position Vlhova will have after such a long absence? Is the rankings somehow frozen, or what? Fortunately, Brignone has a better situation and a secure spot in the first group, even if she skips Soelden and even another giant slalom this year in America.

Edited September 10, 2025 by copravolley

[copravolley 656]

Coming back on the ski is a one thing, but will be in 100% shape is another. I think she should skip the downhill at all (the course in Cortina wasn't usually very favorable for her, without only last season) and only focus on the SG and the Giant Slalom. Summer training with materials isn't as important there as it`s in the DH. In the DH we will have Goggia for big things: if she will be in good shape and healthy, she will be the favorite for gold in Cortina (she won numerous World Cups in that track in her career). We will need Fede, especially in the Giant Slalom, where we have no one else (Goggia is unstable for many years and Bassino recently dropped out of the top 22 on the start list).

 

https://www.olympics.com/it/milano-cortina-2026/notizie/federica-brignone-verso-milano-cortina-2026-recupero-infortunio-sci-alpino

Edited September 23, 2025 by copravolley

[copravolley 656]

On 9/10/2025 at 7:31 PM, hckošice said:

Finally some positive news, we really needed to hear also good news in this country ffs

https://www.neveitalia.it/sport/scialpino/femminile/news/vlhova-perdera-soelden-per-il-secondo-anno-in-fila-ma-non-voglio-accettare-che-la-mia-carriera-finisca-cosi

[copravolley 656]

There might be a chance for Brignone to return at the end of December in Semmering, but even she said that until she puts on skis, there will never be 100% certainty. I don't know how many races Fede can miss and still be in the top group in giant slalom skiing from numbers 1 to 7. However, I think she can easily miss the 4-5 races at the beginig of new season up to Semmering and she still be in the top 7 in GS starting list (for of today, she is the clear leader and has a huge advantage over 8th places).

 

https://www.neveitalia.it/sport/scialpino/femminile/news/un-po-di-mare-e-corsa-sulla-sabbia-in-sardegna-per-brignone-assieme-all-amica-karoline-pichler

Edited September 30, 2025 by copravolley

[copravolley 656]

On 9/10/2025 at 7:31 PM, hckošice said:

Finally some positive news, we really needed to hear also good news in this country ffs

https://www.neveitalia.it/sport/scialpino/femminile/news/petra-c-e-il-via-libera-vlhova-in-pista-allo-stelvio-nei-prossimi-giorni-il-suo-nuovo-coach-e-matej-gemza

[clemsonbeav 684]

On 6/26/2025 at 10:36 AM, Kerkun said:

 

 Winston Tang to  https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/v2/quota/eligibility/owg/al/2026?nation=GBS&gender=M

 

Because I was curious, I did some digging.

 

Winston Tang has always competed with the USA.  I found his Instagram here.  No references to Guinea-Bissau at all.  But then when I saw the article on FIS talking about snow sports coming to GBS, I caught (thanks to ChatGPT) that the organizer of the Winter Sports Federation of GBS was named Thomas Tang.  Come to find out, Thomas Tang was born in Taiwan and moved to America as a teenager.  Thomas competed in Calgary 1988 and Albertville 1992 as an alpine skiier, and works as a businessman.  Winston is his son.  

 

I then found a video on Facebook from Ministério da Cultura, Juventude e Desportos da Guiné-Bissau from April 2024 that seems to be Thomas (speaking English) talking with the people at the Ministry in GBS talking about the opportunity to form the winter sport federation. (It's primarily a presentation from someone else in Portuguese.)

 

Seems like Thomas saw an opportunity to develop something that aligns with his passions...and methinks GBS probably was keen on fast-tracking Tang and his family to be citizens, allowing Winston to compete under their flag.  I also found the dad's FB profile, which shows him in Guinea-Bissau.

 

(Whether it's dad actually wanting to build winter sports in GBS, or just dad wanting to see his son compete in the Olympics, we'll see where the future leads!)