The 2025-2026 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup officially kicks off in Soelden on October 25

Rettenbach Glacier in Soelden. Picture: Ski Paradise

The 2025-2026 Alpine Ski World Cup season is approaching quickly. After months of anticipation, the skiing circuit will return on October 25. Soelden (Tirol, Austria) will once again host the season's opening races. As is tradition, the Women's Giant Slalom will kick off the new World Cup.

Soelden is a very modern and popular ski resort in the Ötztal valley of Tirol, Austria. The main village of Sölden is located at 1,368 meters above sea level.

Sölden offers the marvelous BIG 3, Austria's only ski area with 3 mountains higher than 3,000 meters, which are accessible by lifts. From November through May, thanks to the ski area's high-Alpine location (1,350 - 3,250 m) and the modern snowmaking system (covering all slopes lower than 2,200 m), snow is guaranteed in Sölden.

Bergbahnen Sölden ranks among the leading mountain lift companies in the Alps and is one of the largest employers in the Tirolean Oberland region.

The cable car company owns and operates the 31 lifts in the Sölden ski area, 6 mountain restaurants (including the Ice Q gourmet restaurant at 3048 m. in the Gaislachkogl summit), as well as the 5* Hotel Das Central in Sölden, and the Rastland Nassereith.

In 2023, the cable car company celebrates its 75th anniversary. Sölden has evolved significantly from the initial one-person chairlift in Hochsölden in 1948 to the state-of-the-art James Bond Adventure World in 2018.

With a surface covering more than 20 km² and 34.5 km of pistes, Soelden's glacier ski area ranks among the largest in Tirol and all of Austria. Located between 2675 and 3250 meters, the scenic mountain ski areas of Rettenbach and Tiefenbachferner are connected by a ski tunnel.

Eight modern mountain lifts take skiers up the glacier ski mountains. The base lift stations at the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach Glaciers can also be easily reached by car or bus via the highest Panoramic Road in the Eastern Alps.

On Saturday, October 25, all eyes will turn to the majestic Rettenbach Glacier in Soelden for the opening event of the 2025-2026 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, featuring the longest, steepest, and most challenging Giant Slalom slope on the Tour.

Alpine Ski World Cup Season Opener Program:

Saturday, 25.10.2025

• 10:00 CET 1st run Women‘s Giant Slalom

• 13:00 CET 2nd run Women‘s Giant Slalom

Sunday, 26.10.2025

• 10:00 CET 1st run Men‘s Giant Slalom

• 13:00 CET 2nd run Men‘s Giant Slalom

Soelden Winners:

2024 Federica Brignone (ITA) / Alexander Steen Olsen (NOR)

2023 Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI)

2022 Marco Odermatt (SUI)

2021 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) / Marco Odermatt (SUI)

2020 Marta Bassino (ITA) / Lucas Braathen (NOR)

2019 Alice Robinson (NZL) / Alexis Pinturault (FRA)

2018 Tessa Worley (FR)

2017 Viktoria Rebensburg (GER)

2016 Lara Gut (SUI) / Alexis Pinturault (FRA)

2015 Federica Brignone (ITA) / Ted Ligety (USA)

2014 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) ex aequo Anna Fenninger (AUT) / Marcel Hirscher (AUT)

2013 Lara GUT (SUI) / Ted Ligety (USA)

2012 Tina Maze (SLO) / Ted Ligety (USA)

2011 Lindsey Vonn (USA) / Ted Ligety (USA)

2010 Viktoria Rebensburg (GER)

2009 Tanja Poutianen (FIN) / Didier Cuche (SUI)

2008 Kathrin Zettel (AUT) / Daniel Albrecht (SUI)

2007 Denise Karbon (ITA) / Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR)

2005 Tina Maze (SLO) / Hermann Maier (AUT)

2004 Anja Pärson (SWE) / Bode Miller (USA)

2003 Martina Ertl (GER) / Bode Miller (USA)

2002 Andrine Flemmen (NOR) ex aequo Tina Maze (SLO), Niki Hosp (AUT) / Stephan Eberharter (AUT)

2001 Michaela Dorfmeister (AUT) / Frederic Covili (FRA)

2000 Martina Ertl (GER) / Hermann Maier (AUT)

1998 Andrine Flemmen (NOR) / Hermann Maier (AUT)

1996 Katja Seizinger (GER) / Steve Locher (SUI)

1993 Anita Wachter (AUT) / Franck Piccard (FRA)

Women's victory ranking (by country):

• Austria: 5

• Germany: 5

• Switzerland, and Italy: 4

• Slovenia: 3

• Norway and USA: 3

• Finland, Sweden, France, and New Zealand: 1

  
  

Women's victory ranking

• 3 wins Tina Maze SLO 2002, 2005, 2012 and Lara Gut Behrami SUI 2013, 2016, 2023

• 2 wins Viktoria Rebensburg GER 2010, 2017; Andrine Flemmen NOR 1998, 2002; Martina Ertl GER 2000, 2003; Mikaela Shiffrin USA 2014, 2021; Federica Brignone ITA 2015, 2024.

  
  

Men's victory ranking (by country):

• USA: 6

• Austria 5

• France: 4

• Switzerland: 5

• Norway: 3

  
  

Men's victory ranking:

• 4 Wins Ted Ligety USA 2011, 2012; 2013; 2015

• 3 wins Hermann Maier AUT 1998, 2000, 2005

• 2 wins Marco Odermatt SUI 2021, 2022; Alexis Pinturault FRA 2016, 2019; Bode Miller in 2003, 2004

  
  

Youngest Winner:

• Lucas Braathen in 2020 at the age of 20.

• Alice Robinson in 2019 at the age of 17.

  
  

Oldest Winner:

• Didier Cuche won in 2009 at the age of 35.

• Lara Gut-Behrami was 32 years old when she won for the third time in 2023.

  
  

The biggest Leads:

• In 1993 Anita Wachter won by a margin of 2.23 seconds over Sophie Lefranc-Duvillard.

• In 2012 Ted Ligety won by a margin of 2.75 seconds over Marcel Hirscher.

  
  

The Closest Wins:

• In 2002 there were 3 female ex-equo winners: Andrine Flemmen, Tina Maze, and Niki Hosp.

• In 2014 ex aequo winners: Anna Fenninger and Mikaela Shiffrin.

• In 2009 Tanja Poutianen beat Kathrin Zettel by only 0.01 seconds.

• In 2000 Hermann Maier beat Stephan Eberharter by only 0.06 seconds, one year later Frederic Covili won the race by 0.09 seconds over Stephan Eberharter.