Looking for an Olympic event full of drama? Then ski cross could be the ticket. This event often produces exciting finishes, and with four skiers at a time racing on a narrow course, the potential for chaos always is just around the corner. 

Read on to learn nearly everything there is to know about ski cross, including the rules, schedule and competition format for Milan Cortina 2026.

What to know about other disciplines: Halfpipe | Slopestyle | Big Air | Moguls/Dual Moguls | Aerials

What is the schedule for ski cross at the 2026 Winter Olympics?

Ski cross competition will take place on the following days at the Milan Cortina Games:

• Friday, Feb. 20 (Day 14): Women’s ski cross
• Saturday, Feb. 21 (Day 15): Men’s ski cross

What are the quota limits for men’s and women’s ski cross at the Olympics?

For Olympic qualification, there are 32 quota spots each for men and women.

What are the rules for ski cross at the Olympics?

In ski cross, athletes race against each other on a challenging course that includes obstacles such as jumps, rollers and berms. Ski cross heats can feature either four or six competitors on the course at the same time, but at the Winter Olympics, four-skier heats currently are used.

The results in each heat are determined by the first part of the body that crosses the finish line. Skis and equipment do not count.

What is the competition format for ski cross at the Olympics?

The Olympic format for men's and women's ski cross consists of a seeding round and a series of elimination rounds.

How does the seeding round work for Olympic ski cross?

In the seeding round, competitors take an individual run through the course, and the times determine the seeding for the final brackets.

All 32 skiers advance to the elimination heats, hence the term "seeding" round rather than “qualifying.”

How do the elimination heats work for Olympic ski cross?

In the elimination rounds, competitors are divided into heats. Each heat has four racers, and skiers are divided up so that higher seeds are not able to meet until later rounds.

Eliminations start with the Round of 32, with the top two racers from each heat advancing to the quarterfinals. The top two skiers from each quarterfinal heat advance to the semifinals, and the top skiers from each semifinal heat advance to the final, which determines first through fourth place. The other semifinalists who finish third and fourth are relegated to the small final to determine fifth through eighth place.

If two or more racers appear to cross the finish line at the same time, the official results are determined after examining the photo finish to see which skier crossed the finish line first with any part of their body.

In a case where more than one competitor does not complete the course nor cross the finish line, the rankings in that heat are based on the location where the competitors have completed the course. Whichever athlete passed more gates further down the course is ranked higher.

Is contact allowed in Olympic ski cross?

By the nature of ski cross, some amount of contact is expected. However, certain interfering actions can be penalized, especially if they were done intentionally or directly impacted the results of a competitor.

Penalties are issued to skiers in the form of a card system, similar to soccer. A yellow card results in the skier being ranked last in their heat, while a red card disqualifies the skier from the competition.

Interference could include pulling or pushing a competitor, or making contact with a competitor from behind or from the side. Furthermore, the race leader has the right to choose their line through the course but is not allowed to intentionally block an opponent from passing. Line deviations are considered a form of interference.

There are three categories of interference:

• Intentional: A skier purposefully creates contact with a competitor. This can result in a yellow card, even if the contact doesn’t directly affect the other competitor’s result. If it does affect the other competitor’s result, a red card may be issued instead.
• Involuntary: A skier makes an “in-race decision” that creates contact with a competitor and directly affects that competitor’s result. This can result in a yellow card.
• Incidental: A skier unintentionally makes contact with a competitor, and the contact does not directly affect the final results. This can result in a warning, two of which automatically become a yellow card.

If a competitor feels that interference occurred during their heat, they can make a request to any member of the race jury for the alleged incident to be reviewed. The request must be made before the next heat starts. 

What do the bib colors in Olympic ski cross mean?

During the elimination heats, each athlete wears a bib color that corresponds to their seeding.

The top-ranked skier in the heat wears a red bib, No. 2 a green bib, No. 3 a blue bib, and No. 4 a yellow bib. Based on their bib colors, skiers choose which of the four starting gates they will use in the heat — the skier with the red bib gets first pick, followed by the skier in the green bib, and so on.

How are ski cross courses designed for the Olympics?

Ski cross courses are designed to challenge each competitor’s ability to maintain speed while navigating obstacles. The courses relatively are narrow, which forces skiers to stay close to one another when attempting to make a pass and sometimes leads to crashes.

Courses are designed with both snowboarders and skiers in mind, but it’s not uncommon for snowboard cross and ski cross courses to split off from each other at certain points and have their own unique sections.

Learn about the other events on the freestyle skiing program for the 2026 Winter Olympics.