Over a span of slightly more than two weeks in northern Italy, prominent Olympic athletes such as Mikaela Shiffrin, Alysa Liu, Elana Meyers Taylor, and Jordan Stolz captivated audiences, concurrently transforming us into connoisseurs of curling principles and ice dance rotations.
This Sunday, a transition ceremony is scheduled to occur, where a standard will be transferred to delegates from French Alps 2030. Similar to the Milan Cortina Games, the 2030 Olympics will be distributed across the nation — and potentially, speedskating might even be conducted in the Netherlands or Italy.
While it’s exceedingly premature to offer forecasts, this has never deterred us previously. Here’s an outline of what to anticipate from the 2030 Olympics.
The U.S. Women’s Hockey Team is Poised as Gold-Medal Frontrunners
USA-Canada has historically represented one of the premier athletic rivalries, yet in these particular Olympics, the ice appeared significantly tilted in favor of the Americans for the initial time. Indeed, Canada performed valiantly in the gold medal match, a 2-1 overtime victory for the U.S. Nevertheless, scrutinizing the preparatory period and the Games themselves makes it evident that Team USA is cultivating a potential powerhouse.
Canada might encounter some developmental challenges this cycle, given that it brought a predominantly seasoned squad to Milan. Rising American Olympic talents Caroline Harvey (tournament MVP), Abbey Murphy, and Laila Edwards are all 23 or younger, and would have been the youngest competitors on Team Canada. Aerin Frankel permitted only two goals from 99 shots and established a new Olympic benchmark for most shutouts (three). She is expected to return as a 31-year-old in France. Furthermore, there’s Taylor Heise (25), Hannah Bilka (24), and Tessa Janecke (21). This generation of athletes is merely commencing its journey. — Emily Kaplan
… However, Men’s Hockey will Exhibit Greater Balance
Which nations will contend with Canada and the U.S. in men’s hockey? We’ve posed this question regarding the women’s division for numerous years, and the disparity doesn’t appear to be diminishing. On the men’s side, numerous contenders exist. Sweden and Finland are already global forces, yet their 2026 Olympic campaigns were partly disrupted by some questionable strategic decisions from coaches. The Czechs failed to perform to their capacity until their elimination contest against Canada. Germany experienced a disheartening Olympics but possesses too much skill to exit so quietly once more. Switzerland is ascending. The assessment for Latvia indicated a tenacious playing style. And the most significant emerging talent is Slovakia, whose roster includes three recent top-10 draft selections (Juraj Slafkovsky, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Simon Nemec) and appears to be just gaining momentum. The 2030 competition is anticipated to be captivating. — Kaplan
Freeride Skiing and Snowboarding Set for Debut
The IOC intends to unveil the program for French Alps 2030 in June, and it’s probable that freeride — skiing and snowboarding on natural, unmaintained, steep terrain — will make its inaugural appearance in four years.
“It represents the foundational ski discipline,” Nicolas Hale-Woods, CEO of Freeride World Tour, conveyed to ESPN. “From our perspective, and that of many skiers and snowboarders, it is the most comprehensive and inspiring discipline. It offers a beautiful spectacle and is thrilling to execute.”
Hale-Woods mentioned that the proposed program will feature 16 men and 16 women in both ski and snowboard categories, with qualification procedures mirroring those in surfing. American Mia Jones, 20, daughter of pioneering big-mountain snowboarder and Protect Our Winters founder Jeremy Jones, clinched the inaugural FIS Freeride World Championship in women’s snowboarding earlier this month.
Cross-country running, cyclocross, and ice climbing are also under consideration for 2030. — Alyssa Roenigk
American Men Expected to Reclaim Podium in Snowboard Halfpipe
With determined, youthful forces like Alessandro Barbieri challenging seasoned athletes and inspiring developing riders, the outlook appears promising.
“I will embrace this as encouragement, and I will not allow it to defeat me,” Barbieri stated following the halfpipe final in Livigno, where he achieved 10th place.
At just 17, Barbieri already executes two triple corks and possesses a routine that could have secured him a podium finish, had he landed it flawlessly. “I’ll return stronger and more determined to triumph,” he asserts regarding 2030. — Roenigk
More Multi-Sport Athletes are Expected
China’s Eileen Gu is the sole female freeskiing competitor participating in halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air. American freeskier Nick Goepper earned three medals in slopestyle before his retirement, subsequently transitioning to halfpipe and competing in Milan Cortina. Ester Ledecka competes in parallel giant slalom on a snowboard and in giant slalom on alpine skis — and she has achieved gold in both disciplines.
Young athletes are maturing with this as their standard. “Do not defer until you are older. Do not delay until tomorrow. Act now,” Gu advised after securing silver in slopestyle last week. “Undertake everything presently.” — Roenigk
Ilia Malinin will Return, Prepared for Gold
Following his disheartening free skate in the individual competition, Malinin indicated he would draw lessons from the experience and be better equipped if afforded another opportunity to compete at the Games. As the two-time reigning world champion and still capable of executing elements — such as the quadruple axel! — that no other individual can perform, it seems probable he will have that chance in 2030. It is reasonable to assume he will seek avenues for mental enhancement in the interim, as much as physical, and will be more ready for the demands and scrutiny during his next appearance. — D’Arcy Maine
Adjustments Anticipated for Figure Skating Team Event
With merely one day separating the conclusion of the team event and the commencement of the individual ice dance competition, and with the men’s singles starting a day later, it appears evident that some aspect of the schedule must yield. Although Malinin did not attribute having to compete four times in six days to his eventual eighth-place outcome, it is difficult to dismiss it as at least a contributing factor.
If the ISU and the Olympics wish to continue attracting the top skaters to participate in the team event, they will need to implement measures to guarantee adequate rest and recovery — and to ensure it does not adversely affect individual performances. — Maine
Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik are the Future of American Ice Dance
The competitive status of Madison Chock and Evan Bates in the sport remains uncertain, but it seems evident that the nation will be well-represented in this discipline moving forward. Competing in their inaugural Olympics after a breakthrough season, Zingas, 23, and Kolesnik, 24, achieved a surprising fifth-place finish — an unusual feat for such a nascent pair — surpassing teams that have partnered for over a decade. While anything can transpire over four years, Zingas and Kolesnik dominating this upcoming quadrennium and securing a podium position in 2030 feels increasingly probable. — Maine