Park City mogulist Tess Johnson qualified for her first Olympic Games since 2018 on Saturday.
Johnson locked in the bid with her strong results through the first three World Cups of the season. She won the season-opening Ruka, Finland, World Cup and podiumed both competitions at the Val St. Come, Canada, World Cup on Jan. 9 and 10. Johnson is the second-ranked women’s mogulist in the world and the top-ranked American.
At next month’s Milan Games, Johnson will look to translate her strong skiing into Olympic medals. The women’s solo and dual moguls finals will be held in Livigno on Feb. 11 and 14, respectively. Johnson finished in third place in the only dual moguls World Cup competition this season in Val St. Come. Dual moguls will make its Olympic debut in Milan.
Johnson also loves the Olympic course in Livigno. The 25 year old podiumed the solo moguls World Cup competition there in March 2025. She compared the course to Deer Valley’s famed Champion course because of its steepness and length.
“It’s meant everything,” Johnson said about qualifying for her second Games. “I was so young when I made the 2018 Olympics. I was 17 years old. … Eight years later, having gone through so much life, adversity at times and experiences in this sport, this means so much more to me than it did when I first made it.”
Johnson is overjoyed to represent the red, white and blue once more. Despite finishing the 2021-22 season ranked fifth in the world, she didn’t qualify for the Beijing Olympic team. Johnson overcame that setback and a 2023 back injury, staking her claim as one of the world’s best mogulists over the past few seasons.
“It was very heartbreaking,” Johnson added about not making the 2022 Games roster. “Definitely one of the biggest setbacks in my career. … I had to go through all of that, and I wouldn’t change a thing because I think it’s a big part of the reason why I’m standing where I am today.”
Johnson said she’s skiing the best she ever has heading into Milan. She feels the everchanging nature of the World Cup season, which saw two World Cups cancelled and the scheduled Deer Valley World Cup moved to Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, provided a good opportunity to work on managing pressure and changing circumstances, where she excelled.
Johnson and the rest of the Olympic moguls team will head to Ruka, Finland, on Sunday to resume training. She’s planning on focusing on her training, while also enjoying the whole of the Games while in Milan. Johnson and her U.S. teammate Jaelin Kauf are the only U.S. mogulists who have experience competing in non-COVID restricted Olympics, which could prove valuable experience.
“I’m really excited that I’ve kind of already been through it,” Johnson said. “I really do think that competing in the Olympics is different than competing in a World Cup. … The Olympics is an awesome thing and something I’m really excited to just fully lean into.”