Episode Details

We're prepping for cross-country skiing and para Nordic at Milano Cortina 2026! At the Team USA Media Summit in October 2026, we talked with cross-country skiers Gus Schumacher and Julia Kern, as well as para Nordic skiers Oksana Masters, Aaron Pike, Sydney Peterson, Kendall Gretsch and Jake Adicoff ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics about the finer details of their sports.

In Milano Cortina 2026 news, the cauldron has been unveiled. We have thoughts! We also have some updates on the Olympics Opening Ceremony, including the shade that was thrown during a recent Opening Ceremony press conference.

We have an update on ticket registrations for LA 2028, and lots of news from Team Keep the Flame Alive - more TKFLASTANIs have puched their tickets to Milano Cortina 2026!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Our Book Club episode of Oksana Masters' The Hard Parts: https://flamealivepod.com/book-club-claire-on-the-hard-parts-by-oksana-masters/
• The Milano Cortina 2026 cauldron: https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/the-design-of-the-two-milano-cortina-2026-cauldrons-has-been-unveiled
• Our blog post on how to buy tickets for the LA 2028 Olympics: https://flamealivepod.com/la-2028-olympic-tickets/

TKFLASTANIs mentioned in this episode:

• Josh Williamson: https://flamealivepod.com/episode-4-the-next-olympic-hopeful/
• Frank Del Duca & Elana Meyers Taylor: https://flamealivepod.com/bobsled-elana-meyers-taylor-frank-del-duca-chris-fogt/
• Shannon Galea: https://flamealivepod.com/episode243/
• Bruna Moura: https://flamealivepod.com/bruna-moura-olympic-quest/
• Ryan Shane: https://flamealivepod.com/episode-260-ryan-shane-on-short-track-speed-skating/
• Josh Levin: https://flamealivepod.com/episode-74-josh-levin-on-olympic-sport-climbing/
• John Naber: https://flamealivepod.com/episode-52-the-john-naber-swimming-experience/
• Louise Sugden: https://flamealivepod.com/louise-sugden-paris/

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

***KEEP OUR FLAME ALIVE:*** Support our fundraiser to bring you the most fun coverage of the Olympics and Paralympics from Milano Cortina 2026. Learn more and give here: https://flamealivepod.com/milano-cortina-fundraiser/

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

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Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all yea