Winter Olympics 2026: Braathen makes history as midpoint reshapes alpine skiing race

Milano Cortina’s midway point delivered drama across the snow and ice, with Lucas Pinheiro Braathen’s standout result delivering a landmark moment for Brazil and South America and the alpine skiing calendar tightening as the Games reach their midpoint. With 28 of 57 ski and snowboard medals decided, nations are recalculating targets and favourites as rivalries harden heading into the second half of the schedule.

Braathen breakthrough and the shifting alpine picture

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen turned heads with a performance that marked a first for Brazil and for South America on the Winter Olympic alpine stage. His run underlined how the discipline is evolving beyond traditional powerhouses and injected fresh intrigue into the men’s Giant Slalom and wider alpine programme.

The men’s Giant Slalom in Stelvio — contested at 1: 30 p. m. CET (7: 30 a. m. ET) on the schedule — remains one of this weekend’s focal points. Defending champion and season frontrunner Marco Odermatt has been the form skier through the winter, but Braathen’s result shows that the depth of the field is increasing. Other leading names primed to influence the outcome include Loïc Meillard, Henrik Kristoffersen and a host of athletes capable of upsetting the expected podium order.

For the women’s events, attention continues to centre on Mikaela Shiffrin. The American, already one of the most decorated names in the sport, is poised to mount another challenge in the giant slalom and may aim to convert world-cup form into Olympic gold despite having recovered from significant injury earlier in the season. Her presence forces rivals to raise their level; the technical events have suddenly become tighter and more tactical as a result.

Halfway tally, national momentum and fallout across disciplines

The Games have now reached a midpoint with 28 ski and snowboard medals awarded and 29 still to be claimed in those disciplines. That split — 28 decided, 29 to go of 57 total podiums across ski and snowboard events — frames the next phase: a sprint to the finish where every day can tilt the overall standings.

Norway extended its dominance on the podium, hitting its tenth gold of these Games, reinforcing the Scandinavian nation’s multi-discipline strength. At the same time, surprise results like Braathen’s underline that single performances can have outsized national significance, especially for countries building winter sport programmes from a smaller base.

Outside alpine, the Games delivered late-night drama: a chaotic 1500m speed skating final saw penalties and overturned placings, while curling matches produced tight extra-end finishes that reshuffled expectations. Ice hockey battles provided pulse-raising entertainment, with the men’s tournament remaining tightly contested and prone to late swings in momentum.

Looking ahead: schedule highlights and what to watch in alpine skiing

The coming days keep alpine skiing front and centre. With technical events like giant slalom and slalom still to be decided, expect national teams to deploy their strongest tacticians and coaches to fine-tune course strategy. Athletes who can combine precision with aggression on variable snow will have the edge as courses get more rutted and winds can alter jump trajectories and visibility.

Key viewing windows in ET include the cross-country and freestyle events in the early morning hours, and afternoon sessions where ski jumping large hill action returns at 7: 57 p. m. CET (1: 57 p. m. ET) — moments that often influence nordic and combined standings and carry momentum back into Alpine teams’ preparation. For alpine fans, watch how course conditions, start order and split times evolve; the tight margins in giant slalom make every hundredth of a second decisive.

As the second half of Milano Cortina begins, one message is clear: the 2026 winter olympics alpine skiing competitions will not be a foregone conclusion. Expect more national firsts, tactical gambits and headline-making runs as athletes fight for position in what now promises to be a gripping finish to the ski events.