U.S. freeskier Alex Hall is ready to add more Olympic medals to his resume at the upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games. Raised in the Swiss Alps near Zurich and later honing his craft in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, Hall says that blend of European and American skiing shaped his successful career.
Now 27, the defending Olympic slopestyle champion already has his spot secured for the Games and looks forward to competing in Europe once again — a place that feels like home, thanks to his Italian roots. “Snowsports are huge in northern Italy, so it’s going to be awesome,” Hall said from his home in Utah. “My mom’s from Bologna, and a bunch of my family will be there. It’ll be really special.”
This time, the slopestyle and big air events will take place on a brand-new course at Livigno Snow Park, offering a level playing field for all competitors. Hall, who thrives in unfamiliar conditions, isn’t worried. “It keeps things exciting,” he said.
Entering the 2025–26 season as both the World Cup slopestyle champion and a six-time X Games winner, Hall was the first U.S. skier to qualify for the Olympics, no small feat given the depth of talent on Team USA. “It’s nice to have that early spot locked in,” he said. “The qualifiers can be pretty hectic.”
Master of Style: To Spin or Not to Spin
Known for his creativity and precision, Hall has performed some of the sport’s most jaw-dropping tricks including the first-ever 2160 landed in competition and the famous “Zero Spin” move that stunned crowds at X Games 2025. Whether spinning wildly or keeping things simple, Hall’s aerial awareness is unmatched.
“I’ve done my share of big spins,” he said. “But I realized not everything that’s hard looks good. Now I try to make my tricks stylish and unique, they don’t have to be all about spinning.”
As the Olympics approach, Hall expects the competition to reach new heights. “In an Olympic year, everyone’s got something new planned. You have to keep evolving smoother, more stylish, or add a twist. You can’t fall behind.”
Preparing to Defend His Gold
While he’s keeping his newest tricks secret, Hall revealed that success at the Olympics comes down to balance and risk management. “Everyone’s so good now. The challenge is doing hard tricks without losing consistency,” he said.
At Beijing 2022, Hall’s precision on both rails and jumps earned him gold with a score of 90.01 on his first run. “You have to take big risks, especially on rails and jumps, but land clean. Add one or two new tricks you’ve been working on, and when everything clicks that’s when you win.”
Now entering his 11th season with the U.S. Freeski Team, Hall continues to innovate his next move as unpredictable as ever.
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