The world’s top snowboarders have converged on Italy as the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics snowboarding program surges into high gear. After the opening ceremony wrapped up, all eyes turned to Livigno Snow Park in the Valtellina cluster, where the first flakes of competitive drama settled on February 5 with the Big Air qualifying runs. Now, as the calendar flips to February 7, the stakes are rising, and the anticipation is palpable for both athletes and fans alike.
Saturday’s marquee event, the Men’s Big Air medal showdown, is set for 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time. It marks the first Olympic hardware up for grabs in snowboarding at these Games, and it’s only the tip of the iceberg. The action will only intensify from here, with a packed schedule over the next two weeks that promises thrills, spills, and stories for the ages.
But the real fireworks are expected on Sunday, February 8, when the snowboard Alpine discipline takes center stage. The Parallel Giant Slalom (PGS) events—both qualification and finals—will see 32 men and 32 women vying for glory, with only the top 16 of each gender advancing to the medal rounds. The qualification kicks off at 3 a.m. Eastern, and by 8:45 a.m., Olympic champions will be crowned. The Livigno Snow Park, nestled in the Italian Alps, is primed for high-speed, edge-of-your-seat drama.
The men’s PGS is shaping up to be a battle royale, with a host of stars ready to etch their names into Olympic history. Italy’s own Maurizio Bormolini enters as the number-one seed and the defending overall World Cup crystal globe champion. With three World Cup wins under his belt this season, Bormolini is not just a favorite—he’s carrying the hopes of a nation. According to the latest reports, "Bormolini is the number-one seed going into the Olympic PGS qualification. The defending overall World Cup crystal globe champion sits second in the overall standings this season. He will be a favorite in his home country given his exceptional speed."
He’ll be joined by a formidable Italian squad. Roland Fischnaller, at 45 years old, is proving that age is just a number. With two World Cup wins this season and a second-place finish in the final race before the Olympics, Fischnaller brings a wealth of experience and a hunger for a home-soil medal. Aaron March, another Italian standout, leads the overall parallel standings and boasts five podiums this season. Mirko Felicetti rounds out the deep Italian team, hoping to rediscover the early-season form that made him a threat.
Austria’s Benjamin Karl, an Olympic legend, is making his final Winter Games appearance. Karl, with three podiums this season and a win in Bansko, brings a glittering resume that includes gold from Beijing 2022, bronze from Sochi 2014, and silver from Vancouver 2010. He’s determined to go out on a high. Fabian Obmann, also from Austria, is a dark-horse contender after a late-season surge with three straight podiums.
The German charge is led by Stefan Baumeister, who is chasing his first Olympic medal in his fourth Games. Bulgaria’s Radoslav Yankov and Korea’s Sangho Lee are seasoned veterans, each making their fourth Olympic appearance. Lee, notably, surged to victory in Rogla at the end of January and captured silver in PyeongChang 2018. Slovenia’s Tim Mastnak, another Olympic medalist, and the USA’s Cody Winters—who is pulling double duty in snowboard cross—add further intrigue to a stacked men’s field.
The women’s PGS event is just as compelling. Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic, a dual-sport phenomenon, is the two-time defending Olympic champion in this event. Despite spending most of the season on the Alpine ski circuit, Ledecka made a triumphant return to snowboard Alpine in Simonhohe, winning with ease. She’s the odds-on favorite to three-peat, but the competition is fierce.
Japan’s Tsubaki Miki, the defending World Cup champion, comes into the Games hot off a win in the final race before the Olympics. Austria’s Sabine Payer, despite battling an ankle injury, has shown resilience and flashes of brilliance throughout the season with two wins. Germany’s Ramona Theresia Hofmeister, who missed December due to injury, stormed back in January with two wins and four podiums. She’s hungry to complete her collection with Olympic gold after a bronze in PyeongChang 2018 and a fifth-place finish in Beijing 2022.
The home crowd will have plenty to cheer for in Elisa Caffont and Lucia Dalmasso. Caffont, making her Olympic debut, has notched five podiums this season and at times held the coveted orange bib. Dalmasso, competing in her second Olympics, has already claimed two victories this year, including a PGS in Mylin. Both Italians are in the mix for medals and could deliver a storybook finish for the host nation.
Elsewhere, Zuzana Maderova of the Czech Republic, Michelle Dekker of the Netherlands, Aleksandra Krol-Walas of Poland, and Switzerland’s Julie Zogg—competing in her fourth and final Olympics—are all capable of shaking up the podium. Zogg, who finished second in Mylin this season, is still seeking her first Olympic medal.
The schedule for snowboarding at Milano Cortina 2026 is relentless. After the Big Air and PGS events, the spotlight shifts to the Women’s Big Air Qualification on February 8, followed by the medal event on February 9. Halfpipe qualifications and finals for both men and women are set for February 11 through February 13. Snowboard cross—both individual and mixed team—unfolds from February 12 through February 15, promising more high-octane action.
Slopestyle, another fan favorite, rounds out the program from February 16 to 18. Women’s and men’s qualification runs are set for February 16, with finals on February 17 and 18, respectively. With such a jam-packed calendar, there’s barely a moment to catch your breath!
As the world tunes in via USA Network, Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, and other platforms, the Olympic spirit is alive and well in Livigno. Fans are eager to see if the home team can capitalize on its depth, if legends like Benjamin Karl and Julie Zogg can end their Olympic journeys on a high, and if new stars will emerge under the bright lights of the Games.
With the action in full swing and medals on the line, the 2026 Winter Olympics snowboarding events are already delivering on their promise of spectacle and suspense. And as the competition heats up, one thing is certain: these Games are far from over, and the best may be yet to come.