Swedish Slopestyle Skiers Stoked About 2026

(ATR) Top ranked Swedish slopestyle skiers Henrik Harlaut and Oscar Wester would be thrilled to experience and possibly "go big" at a home Olympics in 2026.

The two freestyle skiers – competing at the FIS snowboard, freestyle and freeski world championships in Park City, Utah – tell Around the Rings that they are entirely in favor of the Stockholm-Åre bid and the timing is right for Sweden to host its first Olympic Winter Games.

"It would be a super dream for me to have Olympics in Sweden, so I definitely hope for it," said Harlaut after his fifth place finish at the world championships.

"I hope to attend it also. It would be awesome if it goes down in Stockholm and really good for Sweden."

Harlaut, 27, a two-time Olympian and six-time X Games champion, was born in Stockholm, but moved to Åre with his family at age nine.

"The atmosphere in Åre is always great – a lot of people are very positive and happy," said Harlaut, about the Swedish ski resort, which is currently hosting the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships. "It has good skiing from top to bottom, all kinds, high altitude skiing all the way down to sea level. It has a little bit of everything."

Harlaut and Wester are among four Swedish freestyle skiers ranked among the top 10 of the FIS World Cup slopestyle standings.

Wester, 23, also a two-time Olympian, expresses similar excitement as his fellow slopestyle teammate.

"It would be fantastic for Stockholm, Åre and the rest of Sweden," Wester said. "I fully support it and can’t think of any reason to dislike it.

"It would actually be surreal. I would be so happy if I don’t need to travel a long way. And yes, I do want to compete."

Wester said the winter sports community would be welcomed with open arms and Swedish hospitality.

"I think everyone will like Sweden and its people," Wester said. "Also all the ski and snowboard events would be really great with Åre as one of the best ski resorts in Northern Europe.

"The only problem I see is that a lot of the events are far away from each other."

Swedish Television ski journalist Bjorn Becksmo believes that the new Swedish government will support the bid and is optimistic about Stockholm-Åre’s chances.

"Most of the people I’ve talked with are very positive to having the Olympics back in Sweden," Becksmo said, noting that Stockholm hosted the Summer Games in 1912. The city also hosted the equestrian events for Melbourne 1956.

"We had some issues with the government because the Parliament couldn’t get a majority, but now everything is settled with the government and I think the government in place now will be more friendly towards the Olympic Games.

"It’s basically down to economics – there are a lot of big companies in Sweden supporting the bid."

Becksmo believes Sweden can pull off a smart and economically sound Olympics using existing winter sports infrastructure.

"The big issue is what we could have in Stockholm to get the (big) audience and have existing arenas - could we have the ski cross, moguls and slopestyle there?

"And ski jumping could be in Falun, another destination that should be in the bid.

"This one is tough," he admits regarding the venue plan.

Becksmo added about the Swedish bid: "For me, I like it. I didn’t like the two last bids because they couldn’t calculate it.

"We have the mentality of the people to support it – I think we’ll win it."

Harlaut expressed the magnitude and impact that a successful bid might have upon the winter sports crazed country.

"Sweden has so many great winter sports athletes, so I think they deserve it," Harlaut said. "It would be an honor to see Sweden host it."

The IOC will elect a host city for the 2026 Olympics and Paralympics from current candidates Stockholm-Åre and Milan-Cortina in June in Lausanne.

Written and reported by Brian Pinelli in Park City, Utah

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