The Road to Milan-Cortina: The Northern California athletes eyeing the 2026 Winter Olympics
After the highs, it feels kind of like you’re flying and lows. I started to think like why am I doing this? Of training That was really tough. The Winter Olympics just weeks away. The pressure is what really pushes me to do my best. I’m getting used to it. Tonight, meet the athletes and their biggest supporters, plus all the excitement ahead of the games. Just enjoying the time that we have here on the road to Milan Cortina 2026. We are just one month out from the Winter Olympics. Roughly 22,900 athletes from all over the world will compete for the most prestigious medals in sports. I’m Deirdre Fitzpatrick joining you from Palisades Tahoe, the training ground of so many Olympic hopefuls and Olympic athletes. It is also the place where Bryce Bennett got his start in skiing so many years ago. He’s currently going for his 3rd Olympic team, and this time he has *** little baggage with him. Downhill skier Bryce Bennett has been called *** lot of things. Two time Olympian at 6’7. Tallest dude on the US ski team, but he’s got *** new title heading into the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games. Dad, Dad, how’s that? Yeah, I’m getting used to it. And cross training has never been cuter. Laying on the mat, doing some tummy time. Playing with crinkly bucks. Bryce and his wife Kelly welcomed *** baby girl this spring. My ideal like story would be like just have an insane season this year, win the Olympics, and then you just take all of your trophies and stuff and you just put them in *** box and put them like deep in the basement, and then you go on, you live your life, you raise your kids, and then one day she’ll be like opening up boxes, and be like, what’s this? and you’re like, oh back in the day. I did this one thing, you know, but yeah, Bryce, great kid, 21 years old out of Ta City. Bryce has done *** lot of things since he started skiing as *** kid at Palisades Tahoe, and when he’s not obsessively fishing, he is *** 14 year member of the US ski team, *** two-time World Cup winner, *** 2 time Olympian. Yeah, in some ways, being tall is helpful. In the right position, his height creates incredible leverage and power on his boot. It speeds upwards of 100 MPH. In the wrong position, especially me when I’m not in *** tuck, I’m ***, I’m *** sail. I should be in America’s Cup as the sail. Speeding toward Olympic qualifying will be *** family road trip. Kelly’s going to come over. We’re going to rent an apartment and spend *** lot of time in. In Europe this winter and *** little baby’s going to come over and we’re just gonna. Yeah, just live life and we’ll figure it out. In my sport it’s, it’s *** minute, probably about 1 minute 40 downhill, 1 minute 50 downhill. Anything can happen, separated by hundreds of *** second. Spoiler, Bryce, parenting can feel like that too. Now being that tall is really tricky when it comes to gear. Bryce wears *** size 15 shoe. His custom boots take about 40 hours of work and *** whole lot of testing before he can even head up on the mountain to train. Remarkable. Well, she made history in the Olympics, becoming the first black woman to win *** gold medal in an individual Olympic sport. And now Erin Jackson wants another shot at gold. Jason Newton is taking *** look at her dominance and. Last year that left her spinning years ago. There’s *** sort of quiet calm to long track speed skating, so it’s just you versus the clock, just two skaters racing the clock, and when Aaron Jackson is on the ice, one of those skaters is the defending Olympic champ. Going into the Beijing Olympic trials, I was ranked number 1 in the world, and then just had some ups and downs there. And then yeah, going into this one as the defending champion, that adds *** lot of pressure, but I feel like the pressure is what really pushes me. To be my best, *** newcomer in 2022, now *** veteran pushing by more than just the competition. My offseason was *** bit different just because I’m battling *** few injuries. I have three herniated discs in my lower back, so I was incorporating *** bit of aqua jogging and some elliptical and things that are *** little lower intensity for my back. But intensity is where she lives. Once *** fierce inline skater transitioning to the ice in 2017 and by 2022, gold. I just had always enjoyed going fast on skates. I found *** sport where that’s the objective. The next objective, besides winning gold for the first US woman to win the 500 m since 1994 and first black woman to win gold in *** Winter Games individual sport is giving back. One of my main goals when I retire and have *** bit more time on my hands would be to start an organization that can help get more awareness about the sport and also more funding because I feel like one of the biggest barriers is the cost. It’s *** kind of an expensive sport to get into. On the road to Milan, Cortina, I’m Jason Newton. Jackson describes herself as *** total rink rat when she was *** kid. She never wanted to leave, and truthfully, not much has changed. Only these days she’s looking to leave by way of the podium. All right, more skating this time *** different kind. Figure skating. Alyssa Liu stunned the figure skating. When she retired after the last Olympics at the age of 16, then she stunned again when she came out of retirement last year and went on in just 5 months of training to win *** world title. I had *** chance to catch up with the Oakland skater and to talk about the power of taking *** break. Go do it again because you’re going to do the so again anyway. See, we’re right, I think it’s. Whoever said quitters never win never met Alyssa Liu. I, I was done *** year before I quit. I knew I wanted to be done way before I actually announced my retirement. 2022 world champion bronze medalist on the outside, miserable teenager on the inside. I didn’t care for my choreography, the dresses, that was all kind of picked for me, um, so I started to think like, why am I doing. And I just wanted to see my friends, my family. I was 16, homesick. She retired to become *** teenager, trading the icy cold for the warmth of family and friends, hiking the Himalayas and college at UCLA. Like I wouldn’t even step in the rank, honestly. I was low key, *** little bit traumatized with the entrance and the exit. But two years later, the athlete who’d been the youngest US figure skating champ at 13 and the first US female figure skater to land *** quadruple jump in international competition. Unretired. Not everyone thought Alyssa coming out of retirement was *** good idea, starting with her coach. I said, Please don’t. I really did. I said, please don’t respect your legacy. Philip de Gallielmo has coached Alyssa since she was 5. We had *** Zoom call for about 2 hours, and the story is I had *** lot of glasses of wine over that 2 hours, and she talked me into. Her comeback. Just 7 months of training and *** lot of selfies later, Alyssa Liu won *** world title in the sport she left as *** child but returned to as an adult. Nobody’s ever taken this time off, come back and won the world championships. I have *** perspective that not many of the athletes right now in the sport. So many people, their goal is the Olympics, and when they get there and it’s over, it’s like they don’t know what to do. And you’ve known her since she was 5 years old. What’s the biggest difference now in the coaching relationship because now you got *** 20-year-old adult. My 5-year-old Alyssa or 6-year-old Alyssa didn’t talk back. She didn’t even talk. Now she likes to talk back. No, now she’s in charge. It’s about Alyssa showing what it’s like. To love what you’re doing so much that you become the best in the world at it, the best in the world while also being the happiest girl on the ice, proving two things can be true, and sometimes quitting is the quickest way to winning again. Alpine skier Ryan Cochran-S Siegel emerges as *** huge star at the 2022 Winter Olympics, winning silver. Jack Thurston had *** chance to catch up with Ryan before he headed out to *** training camp on the glaciers of Austria. Yeah, I mean this is. Where it all began, the scenic hills of Richmond, Vermont are where Ryan Cochran Siegel feels most at home, but it is *** special place. I mean, I love Vermont so much. It’s where his grandparents built *** community destination called Cochras. Countless kids have learned to ski here and learned to love ski racing. It’s also the home base for their famous family of Olympians. I think this is my mom. That’s my mom. Cochrane Siegel’s mom, Barbara Ann won slalom gold in 1972, 1 of six Cochranes to compete in Olympic Games, and her skis are still on display in the lodge. But it’s pretty much, I mean, ready for snowmaking when the time comes, once the temps drop enough. So even if you’re 3rd Cochran Siegel comes here in the offseason, um, with his very vocal dog Wrigley. To find peace in the outdoors, just enjoying the time that we have here. At home is special to me and I try to take advantage of that. Calm will soon become *** rare commodity with the alpine ski racer about to begin his climb to *** 3rd Winter Olympics, where the race season is like right around the corner. He won silver at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing in the super G, the discipline that combines downhill speed with the precise turns of giant slalom. It’s really beautiful. Yeah. After that podium performance, Vermonters hailed him as *** returning hero. With *** huge homecoming parade through Richmond. What would look good with *** silver medal is *** gold medal, *** gold medal, absolutely, yeah. I mean that is, I would say my biggest goal this season. It’s lofty in certain terms, but I think you have to believe, especially at this point in the season going into it, that. That’s what I’m shooting for, so he tells us he’s now working really hard to put himself in the best position to make that goal attainable. 3 weeks down in Argentina and then keeping up with strength workouts and traveling to training camps this summer in South America. The schedule gets pretty, pretty busy, especially leading up to the Olympics. It’s exciting, but it’s *** little bit stressful too. Is it still fun or does it feel like work? There’s absolutely moments that are still so fun. Every day I do try to find joy and happiness because ultimately that is what’s driving me, um, but there’s challenging days too and days that don’t go well, so finding ways to learn from those and grow from those are always important. During the whirlwind of travel and intense competition to come ahead of the Olympic team announcement. Ryan Cochrane Siegel says he will always carry *** piece of Vermont with him. When I travel, it’s nice to have that kind of taste of home. The untapped line of pure Vermont maple syrup for all natural energy on the mountain. So you’re fueled by maple. Yeah, for sure, fueled by maple, absolutely. *** sweet reminder of the place that kick-started his journey to the peaks of the ski racing world. In Richmond, Jacklerston. Fast, furious, and rebuilt, the major change to how US short track athletes got picked for the 2026 Olympic team. Welcome back to our special on the road to Milan. Cortina. We’re now just *** month away from the Winter Olympics. I want to talk about short track speed skating now. It is filled with thrills and spills, and this year’s team is *** real mix of newbies and veterans. If Top Gun and F1 had *** kid. It might look like short track speed skating. *** lot of people call it NASCAR on ice. Short track, definitely you don’t ever know what’s going to happen. The track is 111 m, 4 to 8 people, depending on the race on the line. The gun goes off and you can go wherever you want as long as it’s within the cones. You have to have very good technique because the tight corners, if you don’t have good technique, you will not be able to negotiate the corners properly. OK. It’s *** lot like *** track race, like *** running track race on ice, just with *** lot less structure. to be physically strong, and mentally resilient because the head to head racing can be challenging. The sport does attract *** certain personality type. Skating is *** good sport for kids that hate losing. Crashes are inevitable. They’re kind of like supposed to happen for the sport to be exciting, I guess you’re just like racing until you’re just like going as fast as you can in spandex, yeah. With one goal, getting across the line first. No, especially on short track, it’s it’s definitely like *** game of chance *** little bit. But Team USA didn’t leave picking this year’s Olympic team up to chance. It decided to skip an Olympic trials in favor of picking the Milan 8 from the top World Tour results, and those kids who say they hate to lose are ready to win in Italy. I really like the rush, like the adrenaline and the competition. I love to compete. I love to win. I don’t want to just be an Olympian. I want to be like. An Olympic medal contender. And we’ll see if it happens soon with short track speed skating taking place at the games February 10 February 10th through the 20th. Women’s ice skating became an Olympic medal sport at the Nagano Games in 1998, and since that time, either Canada or the US has won every single gold medal. That’s seven of them. Fletcher Mackel introduces us to an American athlete redefining the term hockey mom. The College Hockey Player of the Year, *** three-time Olympic medalist, the first female to compete in the NHL All-Star skills competition and *** champion in the new Women’s Professional hockey League, Kendall Coyne Schofield has done it all on the ice. Hockey’s been *** part of my life, um, my entire life. When you look at Kendall’s social media, it’s easy to see. How much hockey means to her, but the sport is now secondary because her new one true love is her son Drew. Motherhood has provided me with so much more patience and perspective. Coyne Schofield is now redefining the term hockey mom, with mom being the most important part. No matter what win, lose, draw, good day, bad day. Every day you walk in the door and you see your son, he doesn’t care. He’s just so happy to see his mom. He doesn’t care how hockey went. Married to retired NFL offensive lineman and Super Bowl champion Michael Scofield, we had to ask Kendall what sport will young Drew play. We said we’ll let him find his own way, whether that’s in sports, art, music, whatever it may be. Obviously if he loves football or hockey, mom and dad may be able to provide some tips here and there, but you know what, if he doesn’t like either, that’s OK too. We’ll support whatever whatever it is that he loves because at the end of the day that’s what our parents did for us and it’s our love that allowed us to reach the pinnacle of our sports. Very well said. On the road to Milan Cortina, I’m Fletcher Mackle. The need for speed. Alpine skier Keely Cashman isn’t just quick on the slopes, how her small town upbringing and family business helped prepare her for success. Welcome back to our Olympic special as we mark 1 month to the Milan Cortina Olympics. Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson might be the coolest mom ever. She just became the big air national champ, and get this, she did that after taking *** 3-year break to have 2 children. Now she’s gunning for her 4th Olympic team. I just feel so freaking honored. Jamie Anderson was making Winter Olympic comeback plans after having her first child as the world was captivated by the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. After the Summer Olympics, that’s when I was like, oh. You know, like, I think I kind of want to make *** comeback. Throwing *** snowboarder with two Olympic golds and *** silver for *** loop isn’t easy. And when I got back from that Olympics, I was pregnant and I was like, OK, I guess God has other plans, so I’m gonna have my second baby and we’ll just see how it goes and then, you know, it’s kind of *** time crunch, but. I figure, why not? 5 months after the birth of her second daughter, after *** 3 year break, Mama Jamie is the big era national champ. At 35, it’s been more than 2 decades since the South Lake Tahoe snowboarder made her X Games debut at 13. They can turn that down. One of 8 kids, family is everything to Jamie. Look how many of them showed up to cheer her on at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. I feel like I came into the sport at *** time where I was kind of like untouchable for *** lot of years, and I don’t, I don’t know, it was like crazy. There were years that I was like winning with my eyes shut. And there wasn’t *** lot of competition that’s definitely changed and it’s thanks in big part to the path that Jamie herself lad. Snowboarders these days do way more than they did when she was starting out. The sport has evolved so much. I mean, like when I was 9, our gear was there barely was gear that fit me the way. People are training. There’s so much airbags. There’s trampoline. There’s all kinds of crazy stuff, which is awesome to see. This may be the most awesome end to *** maternity leave ever. Just having the opportunity to go for *** 4th Olympics with my family, my two little ones, and my partner feels like very special, Special and perhaps golden once again. Jamie’s fiancee is Tyler Nicholson. He competed in Olympic snowboarding for Canada, so shredding 100% in their daughter’s jeans. Well, small town but very big dreams. An Olympic skier is redefining what it takes to become an elite athlete and really defying the stereotypes. Keeley Cashman is going for her 2nd Olympic team, and her hometown is ready to cheer her on. Extra sweet bacon or sausage? Where are you going next? Uh, chili. Everyone knows everyone where I’m from. It’s *** very small town. It’s called Strawberry. The population, according to the last census, I don’t even know when that was, is 86 people, more like 85 most of the year, considering how often the town’s favorite barista at the Serene Bean, medium mocha, creates espresso. For powder, Gilly Cashman is *** 2022 Olympic alpine skier, an eight year member of the US ski team, defying gravity and expectations. I’m trying to be someone that can show the younger kids that you don’t have to go to *** fancy academy or something like that to make it to the Olympics. She started skiing 5 minutes from her home at Dodge Ridge, where the team room is now named after her. Coming up to Tahoe when I was 12 or 13 and just seeing this mountain compared to the mountain I came from, it was incredible and eye opening. Palisades Tahoe launched her ski career as *** teenager, and it’s where she trains in the offseason. Ski racing is obviously *** very expensive sport, and I come from *** very blue collar area. My brothers and I were able to ski race because my dad was *** coach, and so that helped cover some of the costs. The rest of the bill fueled by caffeine in *** family business her parents have run for 28 years. She definitely loves her coffee for sure, and she’s, she’s fast at making it. Did you put vanilla in your mom? Just like she’s fast at skiing, she does everything pretty fast. Small matcha. We, we don’t even like to drive with her. Large ice white moco. Watching my parents work there and build such *** successful business has definitely. They showed me what hard work can do. How badly do you want to represent Team USA in the Olympics this year? Um, pretty badly, I would say. Since the last Olympics were during COVID, we didn’t have any of our friends or family there, and that was really tough growing up. I always thought about that moment when you kind of cross the finish line and you can see your parents or your family in the crowd and. Having that this year will be huge, so I’m definitely really, really going to try my best to make it there and *** large coffee with ice and hopefully they’ll have enough time to check out their Italian competition and grab an espresso. And I’m just 1 month out from heading to hopefully enjoy one of those espressos myself. Our Hearst Olympic team will be on the ground covering every bit of the games for you. Photojournalist Mike Domalogue and I will be heading there as well. It’s our 11th Olympics together. Can you believe it? I know we can’t. And at KCRA we will have half hour Olympic zone specials daily during the games live from here at Palisades Tahoe. So make sure you don’t miss any of the action as we take you on the road to Milan Cortina.
The Road to Milan-Cortina: The Northern California athletes eyeing the 2026 Winter Olympics
Updated: 7:22 PM PST Jan 6, 2026
With one month left until the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, many of the world’s top athletes are still competing for a spot, including those trying to make Team USA.Each returning Olympian and Olympic hopeful has a unique story to tell on the path to Italy, including some who call Northern California home.From coming out of retirement to juggling parenthood, watch our full special highlighting athletes from the region in the video player above.Below are some of the athletes profiled in the special.Alysa LiuArguably one of the biggest names in the figure skating world, Alysa Liu of Oakland is a prime example of proving “quitters never win” does not apply to everyone.She became the youngest U.S. figure skating champ at age 13 and competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. And at age 16, she decided to retire from figure skating to live the life of a normal teenager.During a two-year gap where she hung out with friends, traveled the world and attended college. While enrolled at UCLA, she picked up skiing, which soon made her miss her time on the ice rink.And this time, she actually found joy in figure skating. Her comeback was massive, as she trained for only seven months before winning the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships.Bryce BennettBryce Bennett has multiple titles to his name. Olympian, Tahoe City resident, but the one he takes the most pride in is one he most recently acquired: father.He and his wife, Kelley, welcomed their first child, a daughter, in the spring of 2025. And fatherhood is not slowing him down.In fact, the two-time Olympic skier is hoping to make the team a third time. At age 33, he has spent nearly half his life on the U.S. Ski Team. He hopes to create the perfect memory for his daughter years down the line.”My ideal like story would be have an insane season this year. Win the Olympics. And then you just take all of your trophies and put them in a box and put them deep in the basement. And then go on and live your life and raise your kids, and then one day she’ll be like, opening up boxes and be like, ‘What’s this?’ And you’ll be like, ‘Oh, back in the day. I did this one thing, you know,'” Bennett said.Jamie AndersonGold medalist Jamie Anderson may be the coolest mom ever, with some serious achievements.The 35-year-old South Lake Tahoe snowboarder is a three-time Olympian with two gold and one silver medal; she has the most X Games hardware of any woman in history and the second-most winter medals of any athlete; she is a five-time ESPY Female Action Sports Award winner; and last — but certainly not least — she is a mother to two daughters.In fact, Anderson became the Big Air National champion after a three-year break to have her second daughter. But now she’s back and aiming to compete in the Olympic Games for the fourth time.Keely CashmanRepresenting the Tuolumne County community of roughly 85 people, Strawberry’s Keely Cashman is a small-town alpine skier with big dreams.The 2022 Olympian and eight-year member of the U.S. Ski Team seeks to once again defy both gravity and expectations. Cashman seeks to inspire the next generation and prove that one does not have to “come from a fancy academy to make it to the Olympics.”Because ski racing is a very expensive sport, Cashman’s family had to get creative to fund her ambitions. Her father was a coach, which covered some of the costs.The rest? It’s fueled by the Serene Bean, which her family has run for 28 years. Cashman also happens to be the town’s favorite barista for that reason.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
With one month left until the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, many of the world’s top athletes are still competing for a spot, including those trying to make Team USA.
Each returning Olympian and Olympic hopeful has a unique story to tell on the path to Italy, including some who call Northern California home.
From coming out of retirement to juggling parenthood, watch our full special highlighting athletes from the region in the video player above.
Below are some of the athletes profiled in the special.
Alysa Liu
Arguably one of the biggest names in the figure skating world, Alysa Liu of Oakland is a prime example of proving “quitters never win” does not apply to everyone.
She became the youngest U.S. figure skating champ at age 13 and competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. And at age 16, she decided to retire from figure skating to live the life of a normal teenager.
During a two-year gap where she hung out with friends, traveled the world and attended college. While enrolled at UCLA, she picked up skiing, which soon made her miss her time on the ice rink.
And this time, she actually found joy in figure skating. Her comeback was massive, as she trained for only seven months before winning the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships.
Bryce Bennett
Bryce Bennett has multiple titles to his name. Olympian, Tahoe City resident, but the one he takes the most pride in is one he most recently acquired: father.
He and his wife, Kelley, welcomed their first child, a daughter, in the spring of 2025. And fatherhood is not slowing him down.
In fact, the two-time Olympic skier is hoping to make the team a third time. At age 33, he has spent nearly half his life on the U.S. Ski Team. He hopes to create the perfect memory for his daughter years down the line.
“My ideal like story would be have an insane season this year. Win the Olympics. And then you just take all of your trophies and put them in a box and put them deep in the basement. And then go on and live your life and raise your kids, and then one day she’ll be like, opening up boxes and be like, ‘What’s this?’ And you’ll be like, ‘Oh, back in the day. I did this one thing, you know,'” Bennett said.
Jamie Anderson
Gold medalist Jamie Anderson may be the coolest mom ever, with some serious achievements.
The 35-year-old South Lake Tahoe snowboarder is a three-time Olympian with two gold and one silver medal; she has the most X Games hardware of any woman in history and the second-most winter medals of any athlete; she is a five-time ESPY Female Action Sports Award winner; and last — but certainly not least — she is a mother to two daughters.
In fact, Anderson became the Big Air National champion after a three-year break to have her second daughter. But now she’s back and aiming to compete in the Olympic Games for the fourth time.
Keely Cashman
Representing the Tuolumne County community of roughly 85 people, Strawberry’s Keely Cashman is a small-town alpine skier with big dreams.
The 2022 Olympian and eight-year member of the U.S. Ski Team seeks to once again defy both gravity and expectations. Cashman seeks to inspire the next generation and prove that one does not have to “come from a fancy academy to make it to the Olympics.”
Because ski racing is a very expensive sport, Cashman’s family had to get creative to fund her ambitions. Her father was a coach, which covered some of the costs.
The rest? It’s fueled by the Serene Bean, which her family has run for 28 years. Cashman also happens to be the town’s favorite barista for that reason.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel