2026 Winter Olympics alpine skiing schedule: what fans in ET need to know

Milano Cortina continues to deliver high drama on the slopes, and alpine skiing remains one of the centrepieces of the Games. With multiple medal events across speed and technical disciplines, fans on the U. S. East Coast should prepare for early-morning viewing windows and possible schedule shifts driven by weather on the mountain. Below is a concise guide to the alpine program, how events typically map into Eastern Time, and what to watch for as the competition unfolds.

Alpine program: the events that decide medals

The Olympic alpine programme is built around a mix of speed and technical races. The core medal events include downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, and alpine combined. There is also a mixed-team parallel event that crowns a national squad rather than an individual champion. Each discipline tests different skills: downhill and super-G prioritize top speed and aerodynamics on long runs; giant slalom and slalom demand precision and rapid edge-to-edge turns; combined blends a speed run with a slalom run to reward versatility.

Competitions are held separately for men and women, producing multiple medal days across the fortnight. Team parallel events and any reserve days for weather interruptions can create additional medal opportunities beyond the individual schedule.

How the schedule maps into Eastern Time and viewing windows

Milano Cortina operates on Central European Time, so U. S. East Coast viewers should expect many alpine sessions to fall in the early-morning hours in ET. Historically, alpine racing in Europe often begins in local morning light to capitalise on firmer snow and stable conditions; that translates to very early starts for viewers in the Eastern Time zone.

Practical expectations for ET viewers:

• Racing frequently lands in early-morning ET windows. Expect starts that can fall between roughly 2: 00 AM and 10: 00 AM ET depending on the discipline and local start time.
• Speed events (downhill, super-G) are often scheduled earlier in the local day to take advantage of firmer surfaces, which can mean some of the earliest ET viewing windows among alpine races.
• Technical events (giant slalom, slalom) may be spread across the morning into the late morning ET window when organizers can use later light conditions and accommodate two-run formats.
• Mixed-team parallel events and medal ceremonies can shift the day’s schedule; viewers should be prepared for non-racing segments and delayed starts.

Because meteorological conditions on alpine courses can change rapidly, exact start times and broadcast windows are often updated in the hours before a race. Fans planning to watch in ET should keep alert to last-minute adjustments and reserve early-morning time if they want to catch the full action live.

What could affect the timetable and how fans should prepare

The biggest single disruptor to alpine timings is the weather. Fog, heavy snowfall, warm temperatures, or unsafe wind can force postponements or reordering of events; the competition schedule commonly includes reserve days to protect the integrity of medal races. When a session is moved, officials may compress the programme, hold races back-to-back, or use early-morning local slots to make up lost time—each scenario changes the ET viewing window.

Practical tips for viewers:

• Expect early mornings and be flexible; a day listed as a prime alpine medal day in local time can arrive at dawn on the East Coast.
• Check official competition communications for start-time confirmations on the morning of each race, since mountain conditions can trigger late updates.
• Keep in mind team events and medal ceremonies can expand coverage beyond just the runs themselves.

Alpine skiing at Milano Cortina promises high stakes and dramatic finishes across the coming days. For East Coast viewers, that means setting an alarm and keeping a coffee ready: many of the season’s defining Olympic ski moments will unfold in the early hours of the morning ET.