Bormio, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy 14 – 15 February 2026
Source: Olympic Winter Games™ · Feb 6-22, 2026
Alpine Skiing Olympic Winter Games
Alpine Skiing Men’s Giant Slalom Bormio
Men’s Giant Slalom on 14 Feb Run 1 starts at 10:00 (CET) / Run 2 starts at 13:30 (CET)
Men’s Giant Slalom Run 2 starts at 13:30 (CET)
Alpine Skiing Women’s Giant Slalom Cortina d’Ampezzo
Women’s Giant Slalom on 15 Feb Run 1 starts at 10:00 (CET) / Run 2 starts at 13:30 (CET)
Giant Slalom (GS) is often described as the “purest” discipline in alpine skiing. It sits right in the sweet spot between the rapid-fire agility of Slalom and the terrifying speeds of Downhill.
Think of it as the high-speed dance of the ski world: it requires technical precision, but at speeds that can reach up to 80 km/h (50 mph).
The Fundamentals
In Giant Slalom, skiers must navigate between sets of gates (composed of two poles with a banner between them) down a mountain slope. Here is how it breaks down:
- The Gates: The gates are spaced further apart than in Slalom, but closer together than in Super-G. This creates longer, sweeping turns.
- The Format: A standard GS competition consists of two runs held on the same day on two different courses.
- The Timing: The times from both runs are added together. The skier with the lowest combined time wins. If you miss a gate or fall, you’re usually disqualified.
- The Gear: GS skis are longer and have a larger turn radius than Slalom skis to handle the higher speeds and wider arcs.
To qualify for the Giant Slalom (GS) at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics (taking place February 14–15), athletes from “small nations”—often referred to as developing nations or those without a high-ranking world presence—must meet specific FIS (International Ski Federation) standards.
The criteria are designed to ensure global representation while maintaining a safe level of technical proficiency.
1. The “Basic Quota” System
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIS use a Basic Quota to ensure smaller nations can participate even if they don’t have world-class athletes in the Top 30.
- The Rule: Every National Olympic Committee (NOC) is entitled to one male and one female quota place, provided their athletes meet the “B-Standard” eligibility requirements.
- The Catch: These spots are not automatic for the athlete; the nation earns the spot, and the athlete must meet the individual performance threshold (FIS points) to fill it.
2. Technical Requirements (The “B-Standard”)
For technical events like the Giant Slalom, the performance bar is lower than for Speed events (Downhill/Super-G) to allow for greater diversity.
| Criteria | Requirement for Giant Slalom |
| FIS Points Threshold | Maximum of 160 FIS points on the Olympic FIS Points List. |
| Calculation Method | An average of the athlete’s 5 best results in GS during the qualification period. |
| Qualification Window | Results must be earned between July 1, 2024, and January 18, 2026. |
| Race Validity | For the points to count toward Olympic qualification, the races must have at least 30 ranked finishers for men and 20 for women. |
Note on FIS Points: In ski racing, lower points are better. A World Cup winner earns 0 points. For a “small nation” skier, staying under 160 points generally means they are finishing within a reasonable time margin of the winners in lower-tier FIS races.
3. The “Exotic Nations” Controversy
Because the 160-point threshold is a “make-or-break” number for many athletes from non-traditional skiing nations (like Jamaica, Haiti, or Cape Verde), there is often a rush in December and January to host “last-chance” races. These races are sometimes scrutinized by FIS to ensure they aren’t being manipulated (e.g., top skiers intentionally slowing down to lower the “race penalty” and help others get better points).
4. Summary of Key Dates
- January 18, 2026: End of the qualification period.
- January 19, 2026: FIS publishes the final Olympic Quota Allocation List.
- February 14–15, 2026: Olympic Giant Slalom events in Bormio (Men) and Cortina (Women).
For the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, Luxembourg is represented by Matthieu Osch and Gwyneth Ten Raa, both of whom successfully met the qualification criteria for the technical disciplines (Giant Slalom and Slalom).
🇱🇺 Luxembourg’s Qualification Path
While the standard “small nation” or B-Standard for the Giant Slalom requires an athlete to have an average of 160 FIS points or less, the Luxembourg Olympic and Sporting Committee (COSL) set a significantly stricter internal benchmark.
- Internal Standard: The COSL required its athletes to reach a maximum of 40 FIS points to be eligible for selection.
- Qualification Status: On January 27, 2026, the COSL officially announced that both athletes met these criteria and secured their spots for the Games.
⛷️ Athlete Profiles & Events
Both skiers are seasoned competitors, having represented Luxembourg at previous Winter Games.
Matthieu Osch (26)
- Events: Men’s Giant Slalom and Slalom.
- Olympic History: This marks his third Winter Olympics (PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022).
- Role: He was chosen as the flag bearer for Luxembourg at the Milano Cortina 2026 opening ceremony.
- Highlight: Finished 28th in Giant Slalom at Beijing 2022.
Gwyneth Ten Raa (20)
- Events: Women’s Giant Slalom and Slalom.
- Olympic History: This is her second Winter Olympics (Beijing 2022).
- Highlight: She was the youngest alpine skier at the Beijing 2022 Games and previously served as the nation’s flag bearer.
📅 Competition Schedule
The Giant Slalom events for these athletes are scheduled as follows:
- Men’s Giant Slalom (Matthieu Osch): Saturday, 14 February 2026, in Bormio.
- Women’s Giant Slalom (Gwyneth Ten Raa): Currently under the broader schedule for February 14–18.
