Bormio, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy 16 – 18 February 2026
Source: Olympic Winter Games™ · Feb 6-22, 2026
What’s on at the Alpine Skiing Olympic Winter Games?
Alpine Skiing Men’s Slalom Bormio
Men’s Slalom on 16 Feb Run 1 starts at 10:00 (CET) / Run 2 starts at 13:30 (CET)
Alpine Skiing Women’s Slalom Cortina d’Ampezzo
Women’s Slalom on 18 Feb Run 1 starts at 10:00 (CET) / Run 2 starts at 13:30 (CET)
In Luxembourg, Slalom in Alpine Skiing is a source of immense national pride, primarily due to the country’s history of punching far above its weight in the sport. While Luxembourg is not a mountainous nation, it has produced—and continues to support—world-class talent in this technical discipline.
1. The Legendary Era: Marc Girardelli
You cannot talk about skiing in Luxembourg without mentioning Marc Girardelli. Although Austrian-born, he competed for Luxembourg and became one of the greatest alpine skiers of all time.
- Slalom Dominance: Girardelli won three Slalom World Cup discipline titles (1984, 1985, 1991) and one World Championship Gold in Slalom (1991).
- Versatility: He is one of the few skiers in history to win World Cup races in all five alpine disciplines.
- Olympic Legacy: He remains the only athlete to win Winter Olympic medals for Luxembourg, taking silver in Giant Slalom and Super-G in 1992.
2. Current Status & Athletes (2025–2026)
Luxembourg continues to field a competitive team on the international stage, often training in the Alps (specifically Switzerland and Austria) through the Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Ski (FLS).
- Gwyneth Ten Raa: Currently Luxembourg’s top female prospect. She made headlines at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, securing a top-30 finish in Giant Slalom. She is a regular competitor in Slalom on the FIS and World Cup circuits.
- Matthieu Osch: A multi-time Olympian and the current veteran leader of the men’s team. He recently placed 41st in the Slalom at the 2025 World Championships in Saalbach.+1
- The “Adelboden connection”: Because Luxembourg lacks high-altitude mountains, the Luxembourg National Championships are traditionally held abroad. In recent years, they have been hosted in Adelboden, Switzerland, which is famous for its world-class technical slopes.
3. Why Slalom Suits Luxembourg
Slalom is often the focus for smaller “flatland” nations like Luxembourg for several reasons:
- Infrastructure: Unlike Downhill or Super-G, which require massive, high-speed tracks, Slalom can be practiced on smaller slopes or even in indoor ski halls (like those in nearby Amnéville, France).
- Technique over Terrain: Slalom relies on extreme technical agility and “feel” for the snow, which can be honed through repetitive drill-work on shorter hills.
Note on the 2026 Olympics: As of February 2026, the Luxembourgish team has shown its largest delegation in decades, proving that the legacy of Girardelli is still inspiring a new generation of “Red Lions” on the slopes.
For the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, the qualification rules for the Luxembourgish Ski Team followed a two-tier system: the global standards set by the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the internal selection criteria of the Luxembourgish Olympic and Sporting Committee (COSL).
Because Luxembourg is considered a “small nation” in alpine skiing, their qualification path is different from powerhouses like Austria or Switzerland.
1. The Global FIS “Basic Quota”
As an established National Olympic Committee (NOC), Luxembourg is eligible for a Basic Quota of one male and one female athlete, provided they meet the minimum performance thresholds.
- FIS Point Requirements: For technical events like Slalom and Giant Slalom, an athlete must have an average of less than 120 FIS points on the Olympic FIS Points List.
- Safety Thresholds: For “Speed” events (Downhill and Super-G), the requirement is stricter (under 80 FIS points) to ensure only experienced racers take on the high-speed tracks.
- Qualification Window: Athletes had to earn these points in sanctioned races between July 1, 2024, and January 18, 2026.
2. Internal Luxembourgish (COSL) Standards
Meeting the FIS minimum is often not enough to be sent to the Games. The COSL sets its own “Performance Criteria” to ensure that athletes aren’t just participating, but are competitive.
- Top-Level Finishes: Historically, Luxembourgish athletes are often required to show they can finish within a certain percentage of the winner’s time or achieve a top-30/top-40 result in World Cup or high-level European Cup races.
- The “B” Standard: If an athlete doesn’t hit the “A” standard (top World Cup rankings), they can qualify via a “B” standard, which focuses on youth development and long-term potential for future Games (e.g., the 2030 Olympics).
3. The 2026 Team Selection
For the current 2026 Games, the selection was finalized in late January 2026.
- Gwyneth Ten Raa: Secured her spot by consistently scoring below the point threshold in Giant Slalom and Slalom throughout the 2025 season.
- Matthieu Osch: Confirmed his third Olympic appearance by maintaining his status as Luxembourg’s top-ranked male technical skier.
Comparison of Requirements
| Requirement Type | Technical (Slalom/GS) | Speed (DH/SG) |
| Max FIS Points | < 120 | < 80 |
| Calculation | Average of 5 best results | Average of 2 best results |
| COSL Requirement | Top 500 World Ranking | Specialized Safety Approval |
Specific world ranking of Gwyneth Ten Raa and Matthieu Osch heading into their races at the 2026 Games?
Heading into the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, both Luxembourgish athletes had established rankings based on their performances during the 2025/2026 FIS season.
Gwyneth Ten Raa
As of February 2026, Ten Raa is the top-ranked female skier for Luxembourg. Her rankings across the technical disciplines were:
- World Ranking (Giant Slalom): She entered the Games with 23.69 FIS points, placing her 115th in the world.
- World Ranking (Slalom): She held 29.87 FIS points, ranking 265th globally.
- Olympic Performance: During the 2026 Games, she achieved a significant milestone by finishing 30th in the Women’s Giant Slalom, breaking into the world’s elite top 30.
Matthieu Osch
A veteran of the team and the flag bearer for Luxembourg’s two-athlete delegation, Osch’s standings heading into the Games were:
- Recent Form: In the weeks leading up to the Olympics (January 2026), he secured a podium finish (3rd place) at the FIS Slalom in Telfs Seewaldalm.
- World Championship Context: At the 2025 World Championships in Saalbach, he was ranked 41st in Slalom and 49th in Giant Slalom.
- Olympic Performance: In the 2026 Men’s Giant Slalom held on February 14, he finished in 46th place overall.
As of February 15, 2026, both Luxembourgish athletes have achieved standout results this season, peaking just in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.
Gwyneth Ten Raa
Ten Raa has had a career-defining 2025/2026 season, solidifying her place as Luxembourg’s top female skier.
- Olympic Achievement (Today!): On February 15, 2026, she finished 30th in the Women’s Giant Slalom at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. This is a historic result for Luxembourg, as she broke into the world’s elite top 30 on the biggest stage.
- FIS Circuit Success: * 1st Place: She won a FIS Giant Slalom in Davos, Switzerland, on December 12, 2025.
- 1st Place: She took gold in the National Junior Championships Giant Slalom in Sestriere on December 18, 2025.
- European Cup: She secured a solid 28th place in the Zinal European Cup (Giant Slalom) in early December 2025.
Matthieu Osch
Osch has faced a challenging season due to a minor injury early on, but he has shown significant resilience as the veteran flag-bearer.
- Olympic Result: On February 14, 2026, Osch finished 46th in the Men’s Giant Slalom on the difficult Stelvio course. Despite battling soft snow and deteriorating track conditions (bib number 59), he improved his position significantly in the second run.
- Season High Point: * 3rd Place: Just weeks before the Olympics (January 2026), he secured a podium finish at a FIS Slalom in Telfs Seewaldalm, proving his technical form was returning after his injury.
- Recent World Standings: At the 2025 World Championships (the precursor to this season), he finished 41st in Slalom, which remains one of his strongest career benchmarks in this discipline.
Summary Table: 2025/2026 Best Results
| Athlete | Discipline | Best Season Result (Non-Olympic) | Olympic Result (As of Feb 15) |
| Gwyneth Ten Raa | Giant Slalom | 1st (Davos FIS) | 30th |
| Matthieu Osch | Slalom | 3rd (Telfs FIS) | Race Pending |
| Matthieu Osch | Giant Slalom | Top 50 (Various FIS) | 46th |
