North American women are increasing their participation in giant slalom as the Olympic season approaches

This season, a number of North American women from the Stifel U.S. Ski Team and Alpine Canada Alpin made substantial progress in World Cup giant slalom. The 2024-25 campaign served as a testament to the fact that both teams are preparing for Olympic success in 2026, as evidenced by their breakout performances and veteran podiums.

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team is in the process of surpassing the national standings.

For the 2024-2025 World Cup giant slalom season, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team executed an unprecedented campaign. The American women finished second in the Nations Cup GS classification, just 60 points behind Italy and 32 points clear of Switzerland, despite the absence of their usual lead scorer Mikaela Shiffrin for the majority of the season.

Paula Moltzan, Nina O’Brien, AJ Hurt, and Katie Hensien all qualified for the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, despite the fact that the team competed in only nine giant slaloms this season, a decrease from the ten giant slaloms the previous season. Despite missing time due to an accident that occurred early in the season, Shiffrin ranked fifth among U.S. women and contributed 51 points.

Moltzan Provides Leads and Podiums to the United States GS Rankings

The North American women’s discipline standings were led by Paula Moltzan, who finished seventh with 286 points. She placed third in Kronplatz and again at the 2025 Saalbach World Championships, securing the sole two North American women’s GS podiums this season.

The former NCAA All-American from the University of Vermont continues to ascend the elite giant slalom ranks. She has established herself as a credible medal contender for Cortina 2026, having advanced from 11th in the GS standings in 2024 to seventh this season.

O’Brien Restores His Former Form Following the Failure of His Season

After being sidelined for the entirety of the 2024 season due to injury, Nina O’Brien returned with remarkable consistency. In all nine World Cup GS events, she qualified for the second run and scored points in eight of them. She did not complete the second lap in Sestriere, which was her sole non-scoring race.

In the course of the season, O’Brien achieved seven top-15 finishes, including three top-10s, and concluded the season in 11th place with 220 points. She is prepared to perform at the highest level during the Olympic season, as evidenced by her resilience and consistent form.

AJ Hurt Demonstrates Consistency in Each Start

Another redemption tale came from AJ Hurt, who missed the early races with a back injury but finished strong. She participated in seven races and scored in each one, accumulating 152 points and securing 14th place in the standings.

Hurt’s potential to compete for an Olympic podium was furthered by her five top-15 finishes, which included a seventh-place victory in Sestriere. She achieved her first World Cup GS podium last season and will be a notable figure in Cortina.

Hensien Presents Her Case for Olympic Selection

After her return from injury, Katie Hensien immediately impressed this season. The University of Denver All-American had only ever scored World Cup GS points once before, but she began this season with a flourish by finishing fourth in her first race back.

She scored in six of the nine GS events, accumulated 97 points, and concluded the season in 22nd place, securing a berth at her inaugural World Cup Finals. Her top-15 finish in Killington (13th) increased her credibility as an emerging U.S. giant slalom authority.

Bocock and Macuga Contribute Depth

Elisabeth Bocock, who is 19 years old, continued to progress with a robust second World Cup season. In four of the seven World Cup giant slalom races she competed in, she qualified for the second run and won bronze at the 2025 World Junior Championships. She concluded the season with 34 points, which included a career-best 14th place finish in Åre, Sweden.

Lauren Macuga, an exceptional speed skier, secured the opportunity to compete in giant slalom at the Finals by surpassing the 500-point threshold for the overall World Cup. She capitalised on the opportunity, securing a 15th-place finish in Sun Valley and accumulating 16 points.

“Grenier Returns to Lead Alpine Canada Alpin”

Valérie Grenier, a two-time World Cup GS winner, returned from injury this season to serve as the Alpine Canada Alpin women’s team’s leader. Despite missing the opener, she competed in the final eight GS events, scoring in six and securing a 12th-place finish with 174 points.

She is a genuine podium contender, as evidenced by her four top-10 finishes, including a season-best fourth in Semmering. Grenier will be a major Olympic contender for Canada in 2026 if she maintains her health.

Richardson’s ascent persists

In her fourth World Cup season, Britt Richardson, the 2024 Junior World GS champion, achieved a substantial improvement. The 21-year-old achieved a career-best score of 102 points and secured the 21st position in the giant slalom standings, which was her highest ranking to date.

She achieved three top-15 performances, including a career-best seventh place in Kronplatz, and was granted a starting position at the Finals. Richardson has the potential to be a significant asset to Canada during the Olympic season at the rate at which she is advancing.

Grey Complements the Canadian Trio by Contributing Points

The national total was increased by 11 points as Cassidy Grey became the third Canadian woman to achieve giant slalom points this season. Her sole accomplishment was a 20th-place finish in Semmering. Despite the fact that it was not her most successful season, Grey continues to be a reliable member of the Canadian team.

In 2025, the women’s World Cup giant slalom calendar contained one fewer race than in 2024, which resulted in a reduction in the number of opportunities for athletes to accumulate points.

An increase in the number of Americans residing in the points

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s progress was evident in the quantity of athletes who earned giant slalom World Cup points. Only four American women—Shiffrin, Moltzan, Hurt, and O’Brien—scored in GS in 2024. This season, seven U.S. women achieved the points list: Moltzan, O’Brien, Hurt, Hensien, Shiffrin, Bocock, and Macuga. This additional depth could be essential as we approach an Olympic season in which the potential for medals is frequently determined by the strength and consistency of the team.

a Season of Resurgence: 2024 versus 2025

In comparison to 2024, the 2025 season experienced numerous significant changes. In 2024, Mikaela Shiffrin finished fifth among the U.S. women with 429 points, while Valérie Grenier ranked sixth with 327 points. In Shiffrin’s absence this season, Moltzan (286) and O’Brien (220) excelled, while Richardson and Hensien advanced to the top 25.

Following her injury, Shiffrin was unable to replicate her previous performance levels; however, her colleagues compensated for the deficiency. Furthermore, Shiffrin, the most successful World Cup skier in history, remains a threat to win in any alpine discipline when he is in good health. North America’s women’s GS outlook is as robust as ever as we approach the Olympic year, with Grenier in good health and the young Canadians on the rise.

About the Author: Peter Lange

Lange is the present Publisher of Ski Racing Media. Nevertheless, he derive pleasure from coaching athletes of all ages and abilities for a total of 38 seasons. Lange’s expertise encompasses the management of Team America and the collaboration with National Team participants from the United States, Norway, Austria, Australia, and Great Britain. For the two seasons that the program was in existence, he served as the Head University Coach of the US Ski Team. Lange asserts, “Ultimately, the true value of this sport is the relationships you establish; they are invaluable.”