The International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) has announced that the Freestyle World Cup events originally scheduled to take place at Deer Valley Resort in Utah from January 16–18, 2026, will be relocated due to unfavorable early-season weather conditions.
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According to the press release by FIS, the Aerials competition will be moved to Lake Placid, New York, while the Moguls and Dual Moguls events will be held at Waterville Valley Resort in New Hampshire. FIS said the decision was made after persistent warm temperatures and insufficient snowpack significantly hindered snowmaking efforts at Deer Valley. Forecasts indicate that these conditions are expected to continue into early January, limiting the resort’s ability to prepare a venue that meets World Cup standards.
“Given the substantial snow volume, infrastructure, and operational resources required to safely deliver a World Cup-calibre moguls and aerials venue, current conditions do not allow the event to be delivered at Deer Valley to the standards required for elite international competition.”
— FIS press release
The 2025–26 season until January 18 is a critical Olympic qualification period for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. After the cancelation of events at Idre Fjäll, Sweden, for financial reasons, and Bakuriani, Georgia, for political reasons, the successful staging of these events is vital to allow for athlete qualification. FIS emphasized that athlete preparation, safety, and competitive integrity were central to the decision to relocate the events.
Deer Valley has hosted FIS Freestyle World Cup competitions for nearly 30 years, but officials noted that an unusually early event date—driven by the Olympic calendar—combined with sustained warm weather significantly reduced the available preparation window, despite extensive efforts by mountain operations teams.
Under the revised calendar, Lake Placid will host back-to-back individual Aerials competitions on January 11 and 12, 2026. Those events will replace the originally scheduled Aerials Mixed Team competition and will also serve as the FIS Freestyle Aerials World Cup Finals. FIS cited Lake Placid’s successful return to the World Cup circuit last season, strong infrastructure, and community support as key factors in selecting the venue.
The Moguls and Dual Moguls events will be staged at Waterville Valley Resort on January 15 and 16, 2026. FIS described Waterville Valley as one of the birthplaces of freestyle skiing in the United States, noting its recent experience hosting World Cup competitions and its long-standing role in the sport.
Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, said the priority was ensuring athletes have the best opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games.
“While this year’s weather has created some challenges, our priority is ensuring athletes have the best opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games. We are grateful to both Lake Placid and Waterville Valley Resort for stepping up quickly and collaboratively to find the best solution.”
— Sophie Goldschmidt
She added that Deer Valley remains a key partner in freestyle skiing and is expected to return to the World Cup calendar in future seasons.
FIS said further details regarding the revised competition programs will be communicated in due course.
