Durango Skier Mickel Advances to Moguls Final

21-year-old Charlie Mickel qualifies for Olympic moguls final after strong second-round performance.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Charlie Mickel, a 21-year-old skier from Durango, Colorado, has advanced to the final round of the Olympic moguls competition after a controlled and confident second qualifying run on Thursday morning. Mickel scored 77.82 points, improving on his first qualifying run score of 75.31, and will enter the final in 13th place out of the top 20 competitors.

Why it matters

Mickel's advancement to the final round is a significant achievement, as he looks to represent Durango and the United States well in the highly competitive Olympic moguls event. As the son of local skiers Alex and Molly, Mickel's success highlights the strength of the skiing community in Durango and the opportunities available for young athletes to compete at the highest levels.

The details

In the second qualifying round, Mickel noticed a pattern of higher scores being posted before his run, so he knew he needed to improve on his first qualifying performance to secure a spot in the final. His second run saw improvements in time points and air points, though a slight drop in turn points. Mickel plans to increase the degree of difficulty on his jump in the final, which he believes will be aided by better course conditions with fewer skiers on the course.

  • Mickel's first qualifying run was on Tuesday, February 11, 2026.
  • Mickel's second qualifying run was on Thursday, February 12, 2026.
  • The final moguls competition will take place on Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 12:15 PM local time in Milan, Italy.

The players

Charlie Mickel

A 21-year-old skier from Durango, Colorado who has advanced to the final round of the Olympic moguls competition.

Alex Mickel

Charlie Mickel's father, who is also a skier from Durango.

Molly Mickel

Charlie Mickel's mother, who is also a skier from Durango.

Copper Woods

An Australian skier who had the best qualifying run of the morning with a score of 80.46.

Shimakawa Takuya

A Japanese skier who had the second-best qualifying run of the morning with a score of 74.82.

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What they’re saying

“I saw some pretty big scores go up before I dropped, so I knew if I wanted to stay high in the Q2, I had to see a better run.”

— Charlie Mickel, Skier (Durango Herald)

“I'll be able to up the DD (degree of difficulty) a little bit in the final. So, I'm excited for sure. There's definitely some pressure, but you know that's part of the game. I'm going to try to ski the very best run I possibly can.”

— Charlie Mickel, Skier (Durango Herald)

What’s next

The moguls 'F1' final will take place on Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 12:15 PM local time in Milan, Italy. The top 8 skiers from the final will then compete in a 'super final' (F2) jump immediately after to determine the medal winners.

The takeaway

Charlie Mickel's advancement to the Olympic moguls final is a proud moment for the skiing community in Durango, Colorado. His strong performances in the qualifying rounds showcase the talent and determination of young athletes from smaller ski towns who are able to compete at the highest levels of their sport.