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Picabo Street talks Olympics, Lindsey Vonn and being seen at Birds of Prey World Cup

Ski racing champion takes on new role as NBC sports reporter for the 2026 Winter Games

Two-time Olympic medalist and World Cup champion Picabo Street, second from left, still gets stopped on the street by fans at the Birds of Prey World Cup in Beaver Creek.
Holly Cole/Courtesy photo

With this being the first time the women’s World Cup alpine ski team has raced on the famed Birds of Prey downhill course, it seems only fitting for Picabo Street to be here. The Olympic gold and silver medalist and World Cup champion is still a household name and a champion of the sport for current racers and aspiring racers. Street comes to the racecourse this time as a spectator and an observer since she is with NBC preparing with their team of reporters for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy.

“It’s my first time back around racing in 20 years so, I’m extremely excited, it’s been very emotional, but it’s also been very fun,” Street said.

Street was in Beaver Creek for the men’s races last week and returned for the women’s races this week.



“We’re working out the dynamics around our reporting team, our production team and figuring out who’s going to be where because although the Winter Games are being hosted on Milan, the men’s alpine teams will be in Borneo and the women’s alpine teams will be in Cortina, which are pretty far apart. So, these are kind of our trial runs in figuring that out,” Street said.

Street said this is also a time to make contacts and connections.

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“For me, it’s getting to know the athletes. It’s getting to know the coaches. I’m creating relationships with them so that I can then count on that once we go on air or if I need information,” Street said.

“It’s interesting to go from being one of the athletes and sharing with a reporter to being the reporter who’s trying to help the athletes share. I’m recollecting about a lot of the cool relationships with the media I had. I kind of saw the media as teammates and liaisons for my fan base and sharing the stories with the public and that’s how I want to approach this,” Street said.

Beyond the Olympic Winter Games in Italy, Street said she’s already feeling the rush of excitement of having the Olympic Winter Games back in Utah in 2034.

“We’re already starting to see it in some of the youth development programs and in winter sports in Utah, we’re starting to see a push and new initiatives with the Olympic Winter Games on the horizon,” Street said.

Street is excited to see the next generation of skiers come up through the ranks but is also excited to see the return of someone who, as a young girl, looked up to Picabo Street. Lindsey Vonn got Street’s autograph and that sent a young Vonn on a trajectory to seek her own medals. Vonn recently came out of retirement at age 40 and is back on the U.S. Ski Team. She will forerun the downhill and super-G races this weekend at Beaver Creek and she just announced on Dec. 13 that she would return to World Cup competition in St. Moritz, Switzerland on Dec. 21-22.

“I’m so excited for Lindsey to come out of retirement,” Street said. “She is one of the hardest working human beings I’ve ever met in my life, if not the hardest working human being. She has stayed with her nose to the grindstone the whole time. And this is meaningful to her in so many different areas. She’s been able to inspire so many people for so long, especially with her foundation, but this move is really inspiring to all.”

While walking down the street in Beaver Creek, Picabo Street still gets stopped by fans asking for an autograph or a photo, or just to chat.

“So often, I’m taken off guard by someone who has watched me and been a fan of mine and then we have an interaction and at this point in my life, sometimes there’s a switch, especially if I’m home and in mom mode, there’s a switch I must throw to be like, “Oh, yeah, I’m that person too. I had a whole other ski racing life,'” Street said.

“When I see people that are tickled pink to meet me, wow, I feel seen because I have always just been me. It’s the only way I’ve survived through it is to just be me. I care way more about belonging than I do fitting in and the only way you belong is to be authentic,” Street said. “And I’m really grateful for those interactions with people because those moments are what make it all worth it. I’ve come to understand that this is a blessing, this is a gift and I have a responsibility that comes with it. And I’ve tried to always honor that.”


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