DAILY COUNTDOWN 12 - Slopestyle finals, Sprint and Aerials drama and Alpine’s last turn shape super Wednesday

Feb 18, 2026·ilovesnow

Mikaela Shiffrin is just one going in search of gold @FIS/ActionPress/Zsombor Czoma

Day 12 delivers the busiest stretch of Milano Cortina 2026, with six gold medals decided across Livigno, Tesero and Cortina. At Livigno Snow Park, both the men’s and women’s Snowboard Slopestyle finals finally take centre stage after weather delays, marking the last day of Olympic snowboarding competition. Freestyle Skiing Aerials will also crown a champion in Women’s.

In Tesero, the Team Sprints promise high-speed, tactical drama, with Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) chasing a historic 10th Olympic gold while Jonna Sundling (SWE) hunts her first title of these Games. Meanwhile, in Cortina, the Women’s Slalom brings Olympic Alpine skiing to a close, sealing the final chapter on the Tofane slopes.

Inside the Numbers – Day 12 Snapshot

6 gold medals across 4 disciplines: the busiest medal day of Milano Cortina 2026
2 Snowboard Slopestyle finals rescheduled after 20cm+ of overnight snowfall in Livigno marking the last day of Olympic snowboarding competition
2 races in Tesero as both Team Sprints unfold back-to-back
1 potential milestone: Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) chasing Olympic gold No. 10
1 Alpine title left as Women’s Slalom closes competition in Cortina
25 aerialists begin qualification in Livigno for one Olympic crown
12 riders per Slopestyle final battling for the last Park & Pipe snowboard golds
42 podiums awarded, 15 still to come on the road to 57 total ski & snowboard events

Alpine Skiing in Cortina ©Zsombor Czoma/FIS

Medal Events Day 12 – Wednesday, 18 February

10:00 Livigno - Freestyle Skiing Women's Aerials - Results
11:20 Livigno - Snowboard Men's Snowboard Slopestyle - Results
11:45 Tesero - Cross-Country Skiing Women's Team Sprint Free - Results
12:15 Tesero - Cross-Country Skiing Men's Team Sprint Free - Results
13:30 Tofane - Alpine Skiing Women's Slalom - Results
14:30 Livigno - Snowboard Women's Snowboard Slopestyle - Results

Across the Games, a total of 57 Olympic podiums will be awarded in ski and snowboard disciplines.

All times are local CET. Full Olympic schedule available here.

Athletes & Storylines to Watch

Freestyle Skiing Women's Aerials

Defending Olympic champion Xu Mengtao (CHN) resumes her title defence in Livigno with qualification delayed by weather but finals still set for 18 February. The 35-year-old, owner of a record 35 World Cup wins and eight Crystal Globes, enters as favourite after another consistently dominant season. Strong challengers include teammate Kong Fanyu (CHN) and Americans Kaila Kuhn and Winter Vinecki, all capable of triple jumps. With the finals falling on the Chinese New Year, Xu is aiming to turn a dream she has pinned at home into another golden reality.

Snowboard Men's Snowboard Slopestyle

The men’s final has been moved forward to 11:20 CET today to accommodate the revised schedule following yesterday’s heavy snow, with an improved weather forecast setting the stage for safe and high-calibre competition. Mark McMorris (CAN) is back in contention for the one title missing from his résumé, qualifying third for the Olympic Slopestyle final just two weeks after a heavy training crash left him concussed. Top qualifier Dane Menzies (NZL) led a stacked field, while Marcus Kleveland (NOR) and McMorris followed closely. The Canadian, already a three-time Olympic bronze medallist in Slopestyle, now eyes a breakthrough gold alongside contenders including Redmond Gerard (USA) and Su Yiming (CHN).

It’s really fun to ride and I would say it (the course) plays to my strengths. There's technical rails and the jumps are pretty solid sizes. I have the tricks and the flow to make something good happen, and I will do everything in my power to do so. – Mark McMorris (CAN)

Cross-Country Skiing Women's and Men’s Team Sprint Free

In the women’s race, Jonna Sundling (SWE) chases her first Milano Cortina gold after two silvers, teaming up with Maja Dahlqvist in a bid to go one better than Beijing 2022. With Norway, Germany and USA all fielding proven contenders, both sprints promise tactical, high-speed battles for Olympic glory.

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) targets a record-extending 10th Olympic gold in the Men’s Team Sprint, pairing with Einar Hedegart as rivals search for a way to halt his dominance. Italy’s Federico Pellegrino, racing his final Games, leads the home challenge alongside Elia Barp, while France and USA also eye the podium.

I have the immeasurable pleasure to have done that [beaten Klaebo]. Only a few times, but I’m still one of the few that has made it. – Federico Pellegrino (ITA)

Alpine Skiing Women's Slalom

The curtain falls on Olympic Alpine competition in Cortina with the Women’s Slalom, a discipline built for drama and fine margins. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) returns to her signature event seeking to convert strong World Cup form into a defining moment of these Games. Switzerland’s Camille Rast and Wendy Holdener arrive as consistent podium threats, while recent medallists Sara Hector (SWE) and Thea Louise Stjernesund (NOR) carry momentum into the finale. Reigning champion Petra Vlhova (SVK), back from injury, approaches the race focused simply on skiing freely as one last title is decided.

I don't have any expectations. I just want to be happy with myself, just to enjoy it, to ski well. The knee has to be healthy. Everything has to go well and then everything will be OK. – Petra Vlhova (SVK) looks ahead to Slalom

Snowboard Women's Snowboard Slopestyle

More than 20cm of overnight snowfall at Livigno Snow Park forced organisers to postpone the final yesterday, now rescheduled at 14:30 CET today. Kokomo Murase (JPN) and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZL) are poised to reignite their rivalry in the Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle final after their recent one-two finish in Big Air. Sadowski-Synnott, the reigning Olympic champion, set the tone in qualification with the top-scoring trick of the day, while Murase progressed confidently in second. Big Air bronze medallist Seungeun Yu (KOR) adds further depth to a 12-rider final stacked with progression and podium pedigree.

Through My Eyes | A Special Letter

I Love Snow an Olympic campaign that shines a light beyond results and podiums, focusing on the personal journeys that lead athletes to the Olympic stage.

In Through My Eyes / A Special Letter, selected competitors share intimate reflections on preparation, pressure and what it truly means to compete at the Games.

For Hugo Lapalus (FRA) and Jules Chappaz (FRA), Cross-Country is more than a sport—it’s a shared journey. Go behind the scenes with the charismatic French duo as they reveal how their bond, banter, and dedication drive them to push harder every day.

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I Love Snow

“I Love Snow – Passion Beyond Limits” brings fans closer to the athletes and stories that power snow sports across every FIS discipline - Olympic and Paralympic alike. The promise: authentic, emotional storytelling that turns moments into lasting fandom beyond Milano Cortina 2026.

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