Day Eleven Highlights: Italy Wins Men’s Speed Skating Gold, Biathlon Relay Thrills Crowds

Updated 2026-02-17 22:38:04+00:00 (7 articles)

Image: AP

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Day Eleven Competition Overview On February 17 2026, the eleventh day of the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Winter Games unfolded across multiple venues in Italy. Photographers captured the event’s most striking moments, illustrating the breadth of sports contested on the day. The Associated Press gallery documents the atmosphere, athlete performances, and spectator engagement throughout the competitions[1].

Biathlon Relay Draws Spectators in Anterselva The men’s 4×7.5 km biathlon relay took place in Anterselva under heavy snowfall, creating dramatic visual conditions. Large crowds gathered to watch the athletes navigate the snow‑covered track, adding to the event’s excitement. The relay’s intense shooting and skiing segments were prominently featured in the photo series[1].

Nordic Combined International Field Competes in Tesero Competitors from Finland, the United States, Czechia, Japan, Germany, and France contested the individual Gundersen large‑hill/10 km race in Tesero. The event showcased a mix of ski jumping and cross‑country skiing, with athletes delivering dramatic jumps and close finishes. Images highlight the diverse international presence and the technical difficulty of the combined discipline[1].

Curling Round‑Robin Features Norway, Sweden, Germany, Czechia Men’s curling round‑robin matches in Cortina d’Ampezzo highlighted intense play among Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Czechia. The gallery captures strategic stone placements and the focused expressions of the teams. The competition contributed to the overall narrative of tightly contested matches throughout the Games[1].

Team Pursuit Speed Skating Awards Gold to Italy, Canada The team pursuit speed skating finals awarded men’s gold to Italy and women’s gold to Canada in Milan. Italian skaters celebrated the victory on the podium, while Canadian athletes received their medals in a parallel ceremony. Photographs emphasize the national pride and the speed of the final races[1].

Additional Highlights Include Bobsled, Freestyle Skiing, Figure Skating, Ice Hockey German bobsled athletes secured gold medals, captured in dynamic action shots. Norwegian freestyle skier Tormod Frostad performed aerial maneuvers, while Chinese figure skater Zhang Ruiyang delivered a poised routine. Swiss ice‑hockey players were photographed warming up, illustrating the event’s diverse athletic showcase[1].

Sources

1.
AP: AP Photo Gallery Highlights Day 11 of Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics: Provides a visual recap of February 17 2026’s competitions, emphasizing biathlon relay crowds, Nordic combined international field, curling matchups, speed skating golds for Italy and Canada, and additional sport highlights.
2026-02-17 22:38:04+00:00

Timeline

Jan 7, 2026 – The United States announces that its Olympic ski‑jumping roster will be finalized by Jan 20, after the program expands to include a women’s large‑hill event and replaces the men’s team competition with a super‑team format, building on the sport’s evolution since women’s debut in 2014 and the mixed team’s introduction in 2022 [7].

Jan 26, 2026 – Organizers schedule the opening ceremony for Feb 6 in Milan and Cortina, launching the 25th Winter Olympics with more than 90 nations, 16 disciplines, a record 195 medals and the debut of ski mountaineering [5][6].

Jan 31, 2026 – UK Sport targets four to eight medals for Team GB while Italy sets a minimum of 19 medals despite injuries to flag‑bearer Federica Brignone and other stars; IOC President Kirsty Coventry becomes the first woman to lead the IOC and vows a “new normal” sustainable Games model; NHL players return after bans in 2018 and a COVID‑related absence in 2022, reviving U.S. ice‑hockey hopes [1].

Feb 5, 2026 – Mixed‑doubles curling and women’s ice‑hockey preliminaries kick off a day before the opening ceremony, alongside men’s downhill runs in Bormio, women’s ski‑jumping jumps in Predazzo, and luge training in Cortina, marking athletes’ final preparation phase [3].

Feb 6, 2026 – The opening ceremony erupts at Milan’s San Siro with simultaneous athlete parades in Milan, Cortina, Livigno and Val di Fiemme, two Olympic cauldrons lit, and a dispersed, multi‑venue format spanning 22,000 km²; IOC President Coventry defends the model as “the new normal” for sustainability, a template slated for the French Alps (2030), Utah (2034) and a Swiss 2038 bid [4][5][6].

Feb 6, 2026 – Women compete in a historic 53.4 % of all events, with roughly 1,300 female athletes across 50 women‑only and 12 mixed medal events, establishing the highest gender participation ever in Winter Games [1][5][6].

Feb 17, 2026 – On Day 11, the men’s 4×7.5 km biathlon relay draws massive crowds in Anterselva; the Nordic combined individual Gundersen race sees competitors from six nations; Italy clinches men’s team‑pursuit speed‑skating gold while Canada wins the women’s gold; German bobsledders, Norwegian freestyle skier Tormod Frostad, Chinese figure skater Zhang Ruiyang and Swiss ice‑hockey players also capture headline moments [2].

Future (post‑Games) – The dispersed, sustainability‑focused format championed by Coventry is expected to become the standard for upcoming Winter Olympics, influencing venue planning for the French Alps 2030, Utah 2034 and a potential Swiss 2038 bid [4].