2026 Winter Olympics: Women's Snowboard Cross Results and Highlights

The Women’s Snowboard Cross finals at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics took place on Friday, February 13, 2026, at the Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy. The course spanned about 1.1 km with a 154 m vertical drop, starting at 1970 m elevation and finishing at 1816 m. It included a steep gated start, high-speed drops, 24 elements like rollers, big jumps, banked turns, and a technical final stretch—ideal for aggressive racing, overtakes, and occasional contact.

The top four from the semifinals advanced to the Big Final (medal positions 1–4), while the next four raced in the Small Final (positions 5–8). Below are detailed breakdowns of both finals, starting with the Small Final as requested.

Small Final (Positions 5–8)

Athletes: Pia Zerkhold (Austria, bib 7), Julia Pereira de Sousa Mabileau (France, bib 4), Faye Thelen (United States, bib 21), and Léa Casta (France, bib 2). This heat was competitive but focused on pride and national points.

Start and Early Section
The gate dropped, and the riders burst out aggressively. Zerkhold gained an early edge by pushing hard off the line and taking a strong inside line through the initial steep drop and first banked turns. The French duo (Pereira de Sousa Mabileau and Casta) battled closely behind, with Thelen in the mix but slightly off the pace early. No major incidents disrupted the flow, but positioning was tight from the outset.

Mid-Course (Rollers and Jumps)
Through the undulating rollers and bigger jumps in the middle section, Zerkhold capitalized on her speed and clean lines to hold her lead. The others traded aggressive moves—Pereira de Sousa Mabileau and Casta pushed for overtakes, while Thelen stayed consistent but couldn’t close significant ground. The terrain’s features allowed for some position shuffling without crashes, keeping the race dynamic.

Final Stretch
Zerkhold maintained control into the last rollers and sprint finish, crossing first for 5th place overall. Pereira de Sousa Mabileau edged out the others in a close battle for 6th, Thelen took 7th (a solid effort from the veteran five-time Olympian), and Casta finished 8th. It was a hard-fought, clean heat with Zerkhold’s strong all-around performance securing the win.

A view of the podium area for the Women's Snowboard Cross at the Olympic Winter Games 2026 in Milan Cortina, featuring the start list for the small final.

Four snowboarders racing down a snowy slope during a competition, with Olympic flags in the background.

Big Final (Positions 1–4)

Athletes: Josie Baff (Australia, bib 17, yellow bib), Eva Adamczyková (Czech Republic, bib 1, top seed and 2014 champion), Michela Moioli (Italy, bib 6, 2018 champion and home favorite), and Noémie Wiedmer (Switzerland, bib 3). This medal-deciding heat delivered high drama.

Start and Early Section
The four riders exploded from the gate under perfect conditions. Baff, leveraging her explosive start and precise technique (honed from her alpine skiing roots), surged forward aggressively and slotted into an early lead by taking the inside line through the steep drop and opening banked turns. Adamczyková pushed hard but settled into second or third initially, while Moioli and Wiedmer battled closely behind. The early phase saw intense jockeying but no falls, with Baff building a small but crucial gap right away.

Mid-Course (Rollers and Jumps)
This undulating section with rollers and big jumps became the race’s turning point. Baff executed flawless, daring lines—slipping through or consolidating her advantage with immaculate timing and speed over the features. She pulled away slightly here, showcasing brilliant overtaking maneuvers (echoing her semi-final pass on Adamczyková). Adamczyková closed aggressively, Moioli applied pressure from behind in a bid for home-soil glory, and Wiedmer stayed in contention. The pack remained tight with multiple position challenges and high risk, but Baff’s composure and speed proved decisive—no major disruptions, just relentless action.

Final Stretch
Into the closing rollers and sprint to the line, Baff held her lead firmly. Adamczyková launched a fierce late charge, narrowing the gap dramatically in the last meters. Moioli fought hard for bronze amid roaring Italian support, while Wiedmer couldn’t quite break through. In a nail-biting photo-finish, Baff crossed first by a razor-thin margin (reported as 0.04 seconds over Adamczyková, with some moments as close as 0.02s), arms pumping in celebration. She claimed gold—Australia’s first-ever Olympic gold (and medal) in women’s snowboard cross. Adamczyková took silver (adding to her 2014 gold and 2018 bronze), Moioli secured bronze to delight the home crowd, and Wiedmer finished 4th.

Two female snowboarders prepare to compete at the Olympic Games, with information displayed about the last three gold medalists in women's snowboard cross.

Women's Snowboard Cross event at the Olympic Winter Games 2026, featuring the start list for the big final with athletes from Czech Republic, Switzerland, Italy, and Australia.

The Ceremony as Josie Baff of Australia takes home Gold, Eva Adamczykova of Czech Republic takes home Silver and Michela Moilodi of Italy takes home Bronze. It was the first time that Australia witnessed Gold Medal in the Women’s Snowboard Cross history at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winer Olympics.