Steamboat Springs’ Kauf added to 2026 Olympic Winter Games moguls roster
Rudi Garmisch/FIS Freestyle
The first wave of 2026 Olympic Winter Games qualifiers was announced by the U.S. Ski Team on Tuesday morning with Steamboat Springs’ Jaelin Kauf earning her official roster spot for moguls.
Kauf joins Quinn Dehlinger (aerials) as well as freeski athletes Alex Hall and Alex Ferreira on the list who will compete at the Milano-Cortina Games in February. Freestyle events will run in Livigno, Italy.
All four athletes landed their Olympic spots by ranking as the top American on the 2026 FIS Base List, which is based on results from the 2024-25 competition season. Kauf took the top spot in moguls, dual moguls and overall — the best season of her career.
Kauf, 28, grew up in Alta, Wyoming, and trained with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. She landed a spot on the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team in 2016, representing the U.S. in the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics.
Kauf took home a silver medal from the 2022 Beijing Games.
This season, Kauf took her dominance across continents as the sport’s fastest woman, earning 14 consecutive podiums with eight event wins — almost doubling her career win count in one season.
The results led to Kauf taking home all three FIS Freestyle Crystal Globes in moguls, dual moguls and overall. She is the first American to win a freestyle globe since 2015.
Kauf ended the season earning the title of 2025 dual moguls world champion at the World Championship event in St. Mortiz, Switzerland.
The International Olympic Committee elected to add dual moguls for the first time in 2026, an event Kauf is especially dominant in.
“It’s super crazy to be qualified for the Olympics already,” Kauf said in a news release. “(There is) still a whole lot of work to be put in before then, but it’s a bit of a weight off, especially with how insanely good this women’s team is. It’s also been a dream to compete in dual moguls at the Olympics for a long time, so I am extra excited to be a part of the sport’s Olympic debut this time around.”
The remaining Olympic spots in freestyle and freeski will be awarded based on World Cup results through the 2025-26 FIS Freestyle World Cup season.
To reach Tom Skulski, call 970-871-4240, email tskulski@SteamboatPilot.com.
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