Olympic Cross Country Skiing and Para Nordic with Team USA
Release Date: 01/22/2026
Keep the Flame Alive
Sadly, it's time to say good-bye to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. We had a few more competitions to start the day, with Alison seeing the nail biter that was the men's ice hockey gold medal final, which went to overtime. Meanwhile, Jill went to Verona for the afternoon, with some specific goals to achieve before heading to the nearly 2,000-year-old Verona Arena for the Closing Ceremonies. Sports on today's program: Bobsled Cross-country skiing Curling Freestyle skiing Ice hockey We want to hear what you thought of the Olympics! Drop into our (please use Chrome browser) on...
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It's the penultimate day of competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and there's mayhem and beauty on the ice and snow. Can anyone stop Johannes Klaebo? Plus, Alison has opinions on finish line marriage proposals. Sports on today's program: Biathlon Bobsled Cross-country skiing Curling Figure skating Freestyle skiing Ice hockey Ski mountaineering Speed skating Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the independent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us today. Go to to learn about our one-time and ongoing patronage...
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We're getting close to the end of the , which, for those of us based in Milano, means there are some slim pickings for events to see. That doesn't matter though. Jill went to IOC president end-of-Games press conference, and walked away with she never thought she'd get her hands on. Alison went to ice hockey and saw the set up for what will be some fantastic medal matches. Meanwhile, Jill went to the last night of short track speed skating, where TKFLASTANI Corinne Stoddard rose from several disappointing finishes to land on the podium. Sports on today's program: Biathlon Bobsled...
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It's Day 13 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and we're introduced to ski mountaineering today. What we thought, plus Alison went to women's figure skating finals and Jill went to men's speed skating to see the 1500, followed by an extremely fast hoofing it to the women's ice hockey gold medal match between the USA and Canada. Luckily, good competition saved the day because Jill got broken during a trip to the post office. Sports on today's schedule: Curling Figure skating Freestyle skiing Ice hockey Nordic combined Ski mounteering Speed skating Keep our Flame Alive!...
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It's Day 12 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and while we're coming down to the home stretch, there's still a lot of Olympics to enjoy, in particular a dog who decided it wanted to cross-country ski! Mikaela Shiffren dominated the Alpine slalom slope, and Johannes Klaebo added yet another gold medal to his tally. Alison spent the day in Valtellina, learning about the culture of that area, while Jill got some hospitality vibes at a number of the popular sponsor and country houses and the official hospitality club. Did any of them live up to the hype? Plus, evening ice...
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What do you do on Day 11 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics? If you're Jill, you spend hours doing logistics. Then you go to speed skating and life gets a little better. If you're Alison, you get to figure skating early to see the women's short program in action and try not to leave your seat. If you're in Livigno, you're not seeing much because it snowed enough to postpone some competitions. If you're a Friend of Eric Heiden, you're getting this pin: If you want to carve the halfpipe like Alison does, this is what you're in for: Sports on today's program: Biathlon Bobsled...
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Curious about those On Location Olympic hospitality packages? We experience one of the suites at the figure skating pairs final competition and have the details! Plus, Jill has a spa experience and discovers that much like our Friends of Eric Heiden Club, there's a FAB club for friends of Alison Brown. Sports on today's program: Alpine skiing Bobsled Curling Figure skating Freestyle skiing Ice hockey Ski jumping Short track speed skating Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the independent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us today. Go...
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Day 9 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics turned into a wild day on ice and snow - we've got all of the results for you! Jill gets feisty (and delirious) at speed skating for team pursuit quarterfinals and the women's 500m, while Alison tries to understand what exactly happened at the figure skating pairs short program. Plus, the Friends of Eric Heiden club gains a new member. Sports on today's program: Alpine skiing Biathlon Bobsled Cross-country skiing Curling Figure skating Freestyle skiing Ice hockey Skeleton Ski jumping Snowboard Speed skating Keep our Flame Alive! We...
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Invariably at an Olympics, we're packing so much in that at some point we break. At , it's Day 8, when Alison tells Jill about a very special friendship. In other Olympic fun, Jill went out to Bormio to catch the men's Alpine giant slalom--and Brazil's Winter Olympics gold medal. Alison went to speed skating for Jordan Stolz' second gold medal of the Games and the wildness of the team pursuit. Sports on today's program: Alpine skiing Biathlon Cross-country skiing Curling Freestyle skiing Ice hockey Short track speed skating Skeleton Ski jumping Speed skating Keep our Flame...
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Day 7 of the Winter Olympics brought many surprises, particularly at the ice skating arena, where the men’s figure skating finals took place with results that surprised Jill and most of the fans. Meanwhile, Alison had a full day of culture at the Duomo and , one of the highly sought-after pavilions at the Games. Sports on today's program: Biathlon Cross-country skiing Curling Figure skating Ice hockey Skeleton Snowboard Speed skating Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the independent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us...
info_outlineWe're prepping for cross-country skiing and para Nordic at Milano Cortina 2026! At the Team USA Media Summit in October 2026, we talked with cross-country skiers Gus Schumacher and Julia Kern, as well as para Nordic skiers Oksana Masters, Aaron Pike, Sydney Peterson, Kendall Gretsch and Jake Adicoff ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics about the finer details of their sports.
In Milano Cortina 2026 news, the cauldron has been unveiled. We have thoughts! We also have some updates on the Olympics Opening Ceremony, including the shade that was thrown during a recent Opening Ceremony press conference.
We have an update on ticket registrations for LA 2028, and lots of news from Team Keep the Flame Alive - more TKFLASTANIs have puched their tickets to Milano Cortina 2026!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Our Book Club episode of Oksana Masters' The Hard Parts: https://flamealivepod.com/book-club-claire-on-the-hard-parts-by-oksana-masters/
- The Milano Cortina 2026 cauldron: https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/the-design-of-the-two-milano-cortina-2026-cauldrons-has-been-unveiled
- Our blog post on how to buy tickets for the LA 2028 Olympics: https://flamealivepod.com/la-2028-olympic-tickets/
TKFLASTANIs mentioned in this episode:
- Josh Williamson: https://flamealivepod.com/episode-4-the-next-olympic-hopeful/
- Frank Del Duca & Elana Meyers Taylor: https://flamealivepod.com/bobsled-elana-meyers-taylor-frank-del-duca-chris-fogt/
- Shannon Galea: https://flamealivepod.com/episode243/
- Bruna Moura: https://flamealivepod.com/bruna-moura-olympic-quest/
- Ryan Shane: https://flamealivepod.com/episode-260-ryan-shane-on-short-track-speed-skating/
- Josh Levin: https://flamealivepod.com/episode-74-josh-levin-on-olympic-sport-climbing/
- John Naber: https://flamealivepod.com/episode-52-the-john-naber-swimming-experience/
- Louise Sugden: https://flamealivepod.com/louise-sugden-paris/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.
***KEEP OUR FLAME ALIVE:*** Support our fundraiser to bring you the most fun coverage of the Olympics and Paralympics from Milano Cortina 2026. Learn more and give here: https://flamealivepod.com/milano-cortina-fundraiser/
Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!
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Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.
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