Under a crisp Engadin sky, the women’s FIS Alpine World Cup speed tour roared to life today on the iconic Corviglia course, launching a high-octane weekend of adrenaline-fueled racing that signals the start of the 2026 Olympic year. With the first downhill underway at 10:15 CET, elite skiers from around the globe descended the challenging Salastrains slope, blending raw speed with tactical precision in a bid to set the tone for the season ahead.
The official FIS Alpine account captured the electric atmosphere with a pre-race inspection post, showing athletes meticulously scouting the 2.3-kilometer track’s jumps, glides, and hairpin turns. “Inspection time in St. Moritz 👀⛷️ The women take a close look at the course ahead of the speed weekend,” read the tweet, accompanied by photos of focused racers like Italy’s Sofia Goggia and Austria’s Cornelia Hütter poring over the terrain. Moments later, the same account heralded the action: “GOOD MORNING ST. MORITZ 🇨🇭 Women’s Downhill starts at 10:15 CET #FISAlpine #WorldCupStMoritz.”
This long weekend – dubbed the “Engadin speed showcase” – features two back-to-back downhills (Friday and Saturday) capped by a super-G on Sunday, marking the women’s first foray into speed events this 2025-26 season. After a technical opener in Sölden, the shift to velocity disciplines on Corviglia’s fast, flowing layout promises fireworks, with athletes clocking potential top speeds exceeding 110 km/h.
Stars Align Amid Injury Setbacks
The field is stacked with firepower, though tempered by notable absences. Reigning downhill world champion Breezy Johnson (USA) leads the U.S. contingent of eight starters, including a highly anticipated return from Lindsey Vonn – the most successful women’s World Cup downhiller ever with 82 career victories. Vonn, who served as a forerunner at Beaver Creek earlier this month, eyes her first competitive run since a mid-season hiatus, positioning herself as a wildcard threat en route to the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Italy’s Sofia Goggia, fresh off third-place finishes in both training runs, enters as a podium lock after reclaiming her downhill crown last season. “I want to win a medal in the downhill at Milano Cortina,” Goggia declared ahead of the event, her eyes on ending a three-year Austrian stranglehold. Teammate Federica Brignone, the 2024-25 overall champion, sits out due to injury, alongside Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami and Corinne Suter – a blow to the host nation but an open door for risers like Canada’s Cassidy Gray and Valerie Grenier.
Austria’s Cornelia Hütter, the 2024 downhill Crystal Globe winner, looms as Goggia’s fiercest rival after dominating Beaver Creek’s opener. Ester Ledecká (Czech Republic), the dual Olympic gold medalist in snowboarding and skiing, posted the second-fastest training time Thursday, just 0.13 seconds off the pace – a statement of intent from the versatile phenom. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), absent from speed events for nearly two seasons due to injury, is slated for a super-G comeback Sunday, her first since Val d’Isère in 2023; when she races SG here, history shows she’s a podium magnet.
As one French observer noted on X: “Début de la saison de vitesse féminine à Saint Moritz 🇨🇭🤩 Curieux de voir la première hiérarchie… Vers un match Italie/Autriche, avec Johnson et Lie en arbitres?” – translating to curiosity over an Italy-Austria showdown, refereed by Johnson and Norway’s Ragnhild Mowinckel.
Olympic Stakes and Broadcast Buzz
With the Cortina Olympics looming in February 2026, these races carry outsized weight. The FIS points list – averaging the best five tech and two speed results – finalizes Olympic qualifiers by January 18, making St. Moritz a critical seeding ground. “These early races matter,” emphasized Ski Racing Media. “St. Moritz offers both opportunity and consequence… Speed athletes are a different breed. They thrive on adrenaline, accept fear, and attack terrain that demands full commitment.”
Fans worldwide are tuning in, with live coverage on Ski and Snowboard Live (4:15 a.m. ET start for U.S. viewers), CBC Sports in Canada, and Eurosport across Europe. The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team hyped the opener: “It’s finally here! The women’s speed tour kicks off TODAY! Tune in live… for all the action 🏁🤩.” Italian broadcaster RTL 102.5 highlighted Goggia’s Olympic ambitions, while Czech outlet Onlajny.com spotlighted Ledecká’s charge.
As the gates drop on this “long weekend of women’s speed races,” St. Moritz reaffirms its status as alpine’s gladiatorial arena – where legends are forged, and the road to gold begins with a single, blistering run. Updates and results will pour in throughout the weekend; for now, the mountain awaits its queens.
