Every four years we are graced with the international competition of snow and ice, and in just three days it will take place in Italy!
From Feb. 6 to Feb. 22, the 2026 Winter Olympics will capture international hearts and televisions! The first-ever Winter Olympics took place in 1924 in Chamonix, France. This year, they are hosted in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. The Winter Olympics showcase the talents of athletes from tons of countries in a variety of winter sports.
Alphabetically, the games include:
Alpine skiing, which is the sport of downhill skiing, where the athlete is on a set of skis sliding down a snow-covered hill. The events in the Olympics for this type of skiing are based on both speed and technique.
The biathlon event is a competition where participants have to use their skills in both skiing and rifle shooting.
In bobsleigh, teams of two to four use a gravity-powered sled or sleigh to propel them through twists and turns of a narrow, icy track.
In the cross-country skiing event, athletes are challenged with traveling on skis without any mechanical assistance to cross snow-covered terrains.
In the sport of curling, the goal of the players is to get a flat, large stone to slide across the icy surface of the rink to the center of a target using brooms to control speed and direction.
In the art of figure skating, individuals and pairs perform choreography on ice, which was also one of the first sports in the Winter Olympics.
Freestyle skiing is where the participants perform tricks like aerials and spins as well as skiing on halfpipe, in slopestyle and big air.
Ice hockey is a common sport where two teams skate on an ice rink using sticks to hit a rubber object known as a puck into the net past the goalkeeper.
Luge is when the athlete lies on their back on a sled, controlling it with their legs and shoulders to direct them down an icy race track.
Short track speed skating is when about four to six skaters race around an oval rink track. Individuals can compete or in events such as the relay, multiple teams will race.
Skeleton is similar to the luge; however, it is done by lying facedown on the sled, going headfirst down the icy track.
Ski jumping is where athletes attempt to perform the farthest jump after skiing down a slope and onto a jump-off point.
Ski mountaineering, often referred to as skimo, is where skiers use techniques from all types of skiing to ascend, cross terrain and finish with a downhill slope.
Snowboarding is when an athlete performs for speed, tricks and timed achievements while sliding on snowy terrain, typically downhill or on a half-pipe, on a board where their feet are strapped into.
Speed skating, similar to short track speed skating, is where participants race on ice skates traveling in a variety of distances. This event is on a longer track than the short-track event.
The Opening Ceremony is on Feb. 6, where Mariah Carey, Andrea Boccelli, Laura Posini and more will be performing! This marks the official start to this year’s games! On this same day, the preliminary rounds for women’s ice hockey begin, as well as the round robins of curling and three team skating events. You can see more of the schedule at www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/schedule/ .
For the women of New England, we have many athletes who qualified to represent the USA in a variety of these events!
This international tradition is a powerful event that brings our world together and allows each country’s culture to shine through! The skill set of each Olympian, regardless of the team, is impressive and inspiring! Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for our New England athletes!