Girdwood's Katie Rowekamp skis Sölden opener as youngest World Cup starter

Sölden, Austria. Katie Rowekamp stood at the starting gate of the 2026 World Cup giant slalom on Saturday, the youngest skier in the field. The Girdwood resident competed in her first World Cup race at age 17, joining a roster that includes Mikaela Shiffrin and Breezy Johnson.

Rowekamp recorded a time of 1 minute, 10.07 seconds in the first run. She placed 37th overall, missing the cutoff for the second run by less than a second. The race advanced 30 skiers to the second leg. Fellow American Paula Moltzan won the event with a combined time of 2:14.82 over two runs.

Rowekamp was named to the U.S. Alpine Ski Team in the summer at age 16. She is the youngest member of the squad. Her selection followed a strong rookie season in FIS racing, where she finished second in the North American Cup super-G standings. She also qualified for Junior Worlds and posted strong results in Europa Cup events.

The Girdwood native started skiing on the North Face of Mount Alyeska. Her parents, a nurse and a former ski patroller, moved from Colorado to Alaska more than two decades ago. Rowekamp said they introduced her to the sport by pulling her across the living room on a blanket with small skis. She later joined the Alyeska Ski Club Mighty Mites program.

Rowekamp enrolled at Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont at age 12. She attended the school for winter terms only during her first two years, returning to Alaska for spring and fall. She described the initial move as a large adjustment but said she quickly adapted to the training and academic environment.

Rowekamp won a time trial to secure her start in Sölden. She described the experience as thrilling, noting the steep pitch of the course and the intense crowd. "It was like a dream almost," Rowekamp said. "The crowd in Sölden is nuts. It was definitely a very thrilling, exciting first World Cup."

Rowekamp plans to compete in the North American Cup, Europa Cup, and World Cup events this season. She aims to set larger goals for the year following her Sölden debut. Her parents traveled to Europe for the race, and she received messages from former classmates in Girdwood. "I got texts from all of my friends from my kindergarten class," Rowekamp said. "It was really sweet."

Rowekamp said she does not view her age as a limiting factor. She has competed against older skiers throughout her career and intends to continue racing at that level. "I don't really think that my age really defines like, who I am as a skier," she said. "I want to be faster than them, and my age isn't really an excuse for that."