Good Luck to Our 2026 Vermont
Winter Olympians!

Dear Fellow Vermonter,

Vermont may be known as home to some great food and beautiful landscapes. But we’re also home to some truly outstanding athletes, who have competed on the world stage in summer and winter Olympics throughout the decades.

With the 2026 Winter Olympic Games kicking off today, followed by paralympics on March 6, we reached out to some of our incredible Vermont summer Olympians and asked them to share some good luck wishes with their fellow Vermont Olympians competing in Italy. Thanks to rugby star Ilona Maher of Burlington, weightlifting champion Carissa Gump of Essex, mountain biker Lea Davison of Jericho, track athlete Andrew Wheating of Norwich and rowers Brooke Mooney of Peru and Billy Bender of Norwich for sending in their well-wishes.

I know all Vermonters join me in wishing the best of luck to these incredible athletes who have lived, worked and studied in Vermont, including:

• Chloe Aurard-Bushee, Hockey, Vermont Academy
• Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Alpine Skiing, Starksboro, VT
• Spc. Sean Doherty, Biathlon, Vermont National Guard
• Mac Forehand, Freestyle Skiing, Stratton Mountain School
• Jessie Diggins, Cross-Country Skiing, Stratton Mountain School
• Kevin Drury, Ski-Cross, South Burlington, VT
• Margie Freed, Biathlon, University of Vermont
• Maxime Germain, Biathlon, Vermont National Guard
• Spc. Deedra Irwin, Biathlon, Vermont National Guard
• Julia Kern, Cross-Country Skiing, Stratton Mountain School
• Kristyna Kaltounkova, Hockey, Vermont Academy
• Sini Karjalainen, Hockey, University of Vermont and Vermont Academy
• Chloe Levins, Biathon, Rutland, VT
• Julia Mesplede, Hockey, University of Vermont
• Natalia Mlynkova, Hockey, University of Vermont
• Paula Moltzan, Alpine Skiing, Waitsfield, VT
• Nina O’Brien, Alpine Skiing, Burke Mountain Academy
• Ben Ogden, Cross-Country Skiing, Landgrove, VT
• Jessica Perlmutter, Snowboarding Killington Mountain School
• Sara Roderick, Skeleton, University of Vermont
• Mikaela Shiffrin, Alpine Skiing, Burke Mountain Academy
• Laurence St-Germain, Alpine Skiing, University for Vermont
• Spencer Wood, Para Alpine Skiing, Pittsfield, VT
• Jack Young, Cross- Country Skiing, Jay, VT

You make us all very proud and we can’t wait to watch you compete in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,