The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup roared back to life on Saturday with the women’s giant slalom opener on the Rettenbach glacier, featuring a formidable lineup of American talent ready to challenge the world’s best. Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin, starting from bib 20, leads a group of eight U.S. women inside the top 60, signaling high expectations for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team as they launch into the 2025-26 Olympic campaign.
In a lighthearted yet informative social media post on X (formerly Twitter), Shiffrin shared the starting positions for her teammates, underscoring the depth of the American squad. “Here we go😅😅 3️⃣ U.S. women starting in the top 15 ⤵️” she wrote, listing Paula Moltzan (bib 4), AJ Hurt (bib 9), and Nina O’Brien (bib 11) as the early frontrunners, followed by herself at 20, Katie Hensien at 25, Elisabeth Bocock at 29, Mary Bocock at 56, Tricia Mangan at 59, and Keely Cashman at 60. The photo, credited to Max Hall, captured the team’s pre-race energy against the dramatic alpine backdrop.
Shiffrin, who boasts a record 22 World Cup victories in giant slalom – more than any woman in history – enters the season refreshed after a deliberate focus on recovery and training. “Now healthy and refocused, Shiffrin enters the Olympic season determined to reassert her dominance in the discipline that has long been part of her foundation,” noted Ski Racing Media in its pre-race preview. Her strong showings in GS last season, including podium finishes in seven of nine completed races, position her as a favorite to reclaim the top spot on this iconic course, where she has previously triumphed.
The U.S. team arrives with a blend of experience and emerging promise. Moltzan, starting just outside the top three, brings consistency from a solid 2024-25 campaign, while Hurt and O’Brien – both returning from injury setbacks – aim to build on their potential. O’Brien’s seventh-place finish here last year highlighted U.S. depth, complemented by Hensien’s top-10 result in the same event. The Bocock sisters, Elisabeth and Mary, represent the next generation, with Elisabeth’s bib 29 offering a prime opportunity to make waves among the field’s rising stars. Veterans Mangan and Cashman round out a nine-athlete roster that includes the absent but anticipated return of other teammates in upcoming races.
Facing stiff international competition, including defending overall champion Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland and Canadian standout Ali Nullmeyer, the Americans will look to capitalize on favorable early starts. Gut-Behrami, seeking her first Sölden win, headlines a field eager for redemption after a injury-plagued prior season.
Fans stateside can catch the action live on Peacock, with Run 1 underway at 4 a.m. ET and Run 2 at 7 a.m. ET. Replays will be available on the platform throughout the day, ensuring no one misses the high-speed drama on Austria’s glacier slopes.
As the two-run format unfolds under crisp October skies, all eyes will be on Shiffrin and her U.S. compatriots to set the tone for a season brimming with Olympic anticipation. With three starters in the top 15 and a full roster of firepower, the message from Team USA is clear: the hunt for podiums – and perhaps history – has begun.
