Milan-Cortina 2026: A Night of High-Stakes Winter Sports Action
Wednesday, February 18th, promises a thrilling day at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with eight medal events scheduled. Italy is particularly focused on short track speed skating, where the women’s 3000m relay team will compete in the final. The team consists of Chiara Betti, Elisa Confortola, Arianna Fontana, Gloria Ioratti, and Arianna Sighel.
Short Track Speed Skating: Italy’s Relay Hopes
The Italian women’s short track relay team is aiming for a medal in the 3000m event, scheduled for 9:00 PM local time. This follows Italy’s earlier gold medal win in the mixed team relay. Arianna Fontana, a key member of both teams, will be looking to add to her Olympic medal count. The men’s 500m event will also see Italian athletes Pietro Sighel, Thomas Nadalini, and Lorenzo Previtali competing, with finals potentially following the relay.
Beyond Short Track: A Diverse Program
The day’s schedule extends far beyond short track. The team sprint in cross-country skiing will feature the Italian duo of Elia Barp and Federico Pellegrino. In biathlon, Lisa Vittozzi will lead the women’s 4x6km relay team, building on her previous success in the individual pursuit event. Lara Della Mea will compete in the women’s slalom, hoping to continue her strong performance after finishing fourth in the giant slalom.
Full Schedule of Events for February 18th
Here’s a breakdown of the day’s events and Italian participation:
- 9:00 AM: Nordic Combined – Qualification (Samuel Costa, Aaron Kostner, Alessandro Pittin)
- 9:05 AM: Curling – Women’s Tournament
- 9:45 AM: Cross-Country Skiing – Team Sprint TL Women’s Qualification (Caterina Ganz/Iris De Martin Pinter)
- 10:00 AM: Bobsleigh – 4-Man Bob, Practice Runs (ITALIA)
- 10:00 AM: Alpine Skiing – Women’s Slalom, First Run (Lara Della Mea, Martina Peterlini, Anna Trocker)
- 10:15 AM: Cross-Country Skiing – Team Sprint TL Men’s Qualification (Elia Barp/Federico Pellegrino)
- 11:30 AM: Freestyle Skiing – Women’s Aerials, Final 1
- 11:45 AM: Cross-Country Skiing – Team Sprint TL Women’s Final (Caterina Ganz/Iris De Martin Pinter) – MEDALS
- 12:10 PM: Ice Hockey – Men’s Tournament, Quarterfinal 1
- 12:15 PM: Cross-Country Skiing – Team Sprint TL Men’s Final (Elia Barp/Federico Pellegrino) – MEDALS
- 12:30 PM: Snowboard – Men’s Slopestyle, Final (First Run)
- 12:30 PM: Freestyle Skiing – Women’s Aerials, Final 2 – MEDALS
- 12:59 PM: Snowboard – Men’s Slopestyle, Final (Second Run)
- 13:28 PM: Snowboard – Men’s Slopestyle, Final (Third Run) – MEDALS
- 13:30 PM: Alpine Skiing – Women’s Slalom, Second Run (Lara Della Mea, Martina Peterlini, Anna Trocker) – MEDALS
- 14:00 PM: Bobsleigh – Women’s 2-Bob, Practice Runs (ITALIA 1, ITALIA 2)
- 14:05 PM: Curling – Men’s Tournament (ITALIA vs. Canada)
- 14:45 PM: Biathlon – Women’s 4x6km Relay (ITALIA: Hannah Auchentaller, Dorothea Wierer, Michela Carrara, Lisa Vittozzi) – MEDALS
- 16:40 PM: Ice Hockey – Men’s Tournament, Quarterfinal 2
- 18:10 PM: Ice Hockey – Men’s Tournament, Quarterfinal 3
- 19:05 PM: Curling – Women’s Tournament (ITALIA vs. Canada)
- 20:15 PM: Short Track – Men’s 500m, Quarterfinals (Pietro Sighel, Thomas Nadalini, Lorenzo Previtali)
- 20:44 PM: Short Track – Men’s 500m, Semifinals
- 20:51 PM: Short Track – Women’s 3000m Relay, Final B
- 21:00 PM: Short Track – Women’s 3000m Relay, Final A (ITALIA) – MEDALS
- 21:10 PM: Ice Hockey – Men’s Tournament, Quarterfinal 4
- 21:27 PM: Short Track – Men’s 500m, Final B
- 21:29 PM: Short Track – Men’s 500m, Final A – MEDALS
Where to Watch
The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are being broadcast on Rai 2 (9:05 AM – 1:00 PM, 1:30 PM – 8:30 PM, 9:00 PM – 11:40 PM) and Rai Sport (10:30 AM – 2:10 PM, 4:40 PM – 7:30 PM, 8:10 PM – 10:40 PM). Streaming options include Rai Play, Discovery Plus, Hbo Max, Eurosport1 (9:05 AM – 10:50 PM), Eurosport2 (12:15 PM – 3:25 PM, 6:00 PM – 10:40 PM), and Dazn.
FAQ
Q: When is the women’s short track relay final?
A: The final is scheduled for 9:00 PM local time.
Q: Which Italian athletes are competing in the men’s 500m short track?
A: Pietro Sighel, Thomas Nadalini, and Lorenzo Previtali.
Q: Where can I watch the Olympics?
A: You can watch on Rai 2, Rai Sport, and via streaming on Rai Play, Discovery Plus, Hbo Max, Eurosport, and Dazn.
