Mikaela Shiffrin, the undisputed queen of slalom skiing, launches her 2026 Winter Olympics campaign on Tuesday in the historic debut of the women’s Alpine team combined event, pairing with newly crowned downhill gold medalist Breezy Johnson in a high-stakes bid for another podium finish.
The innovative format bridges the gap between speed and technical disciplines: one skier handles the high-velocity downhill run, while their teammate tackles the precision-demanding slalom. The duo with the fastest combined time claims victory. This replaces the traditional individual combined event, which has faded as specialists dominate each discipline.
Shiffrin, 30, enters as the world’s premier slalom specialist, boasting seven wins in eight World Cup slalom races this season and a historic career total of 108 World Cup victories—the most by any skier, male or female. She teams with Johnson, 30, who delivered Team USA’s first gold of these Games just two days earlier in the women’s downhill on the challenging Tofane course.
The partnership is already proven championship-caliber: Shiffrin and Johnson captured gold in the inaugural team combined at the 2025 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Hinterglemm (Saalbach), Austria—the first major international competition to feature the event.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s depth in women’s Alpine is on full display, with the Americans fielding four competitive teams. Alongside Shiffrin and Johnson (Team 1), contenders include:
Jackie Wiles (downhill, fresh off a fourth-place finish in the individual downhill) paired with Paula Moltzan (slalom, currently sixth in World Cup slalom standings) — a strong medal threat.
Bella Wright (downhill) with Nina O’Brien (slalom).
Keely Cashman (downhill) with A.J. Hurt (slalom).
The U.S. contingent positions the team as a favorite, blending raw speed from downhill experts with Shiffrin’s unmatched technical prowess in slalom.
Shiffrin’s Olympic journey this year follows a challenging path marked by personal trials, including grief, PTSD, and a freak injury, yet she remains a dominant force. Tuesday’s event marks her first appearance at these Games, with expectations high for the slalom leg after Johnson’s downhill sets the foundation.
As the new Olympic format takes center stage, all eyes will be on whether the American powerhouse duo can translate their world-title success into Olympic glory on the iconic Italian slopes.
