Avery Krumme Writes History in her Olympic Debut as the Youngest in the Field.
Avery Krumme knew she wanted to go to the Olympics when she was 9 years old. At 17, she did it. She became the youngest female competitor in both Slopestyle and Big Air freeski at the 2026 Winter Olympics, not to mention the youngest woman to reach the Slopestyle finals at these Games.
I caught up with Avery from her home outside Whistler, British Columbia, shortly after Milano Cortina wrapped. She's 17, she just competed on the biggest stage in the world, and she's already thinking about France.
Three Brothers and a Mountain
Avery jokes that skiing chose her.
Her parents put her on skis at 2. Her three older brothers were deep into freestyle, so naturally, she followed. By 9, she was in a freestyle club and had already decided: she was going to the Olympics.
"I kind of just kept being pushed through freestyle skiing and knew I wanted to go to the Olympics from a very young age."
Growing up the youngest of four in a skiing family has a way of accelerating things. There’s always a sibling to chase, a trick still to land, and another goal just ahead.
The Youngest in the Finals
Avery has a refreshing relationship with being the youngest person in the field.
"Sometimes I forget about how old I am. I focus on the skill aspect and I'm like, oh, I gotta get as good as them…and then I realize I'm 7 years younger. And then I think, okay, I probably have a bit of time."
The Olympics themselves were a new (and welcomed) challenge.
"It's completely different than any other World Cup. So many people come out to watch because I mean…it's the Olympics! And then there’s all the media. It just feels bigger."
While Avery acknowledges the pressure of the eyeballs, she found her way through.
Be Where Your Feet Are
When the noise of an Olympic crowd starts to creep in, Avery has a reset she's been refining for a couple of years now.
"I close my eyes, work through it in my head, and tell myself to be present…be where my feet are. The things in the future and all the stuff I'm stressing about, it'll happen, and everything will work itself out."
That same mantra follows her into the start gate. She drops when she feels ready. When she's fully in that moment and nowhere else.
Visualization has become a cornerstone of her preparation.
"Visualization helps so much. It's a really big part of the sport and it's helped me a lot in the start gate."
The Thorn in Your Side
Every athlete has one. The component that requires that much more focus and practice. Right now for Avery, it's a Misty with a bio axis.
"I've had trouble getting my feet and hips up because I'm always so down. It's been a really big thorn in my side. Sometimes it clicks, sometimes it doesn't…it ebbs and flows."
When things aren't clicking, she goes back to basics to rebuild from the ground up.
"I think going back to basics is pretty important when you're struggling. Just remembering all the steps that got you to that point."
It’s a reminder that even Olympians are still figuring things out. Still chasing the trick that doesn’t land, and at times, returning to the basics.
Avery brings a relentless willingness to keep going anyway. It’s that mindset that will carry her through competition cycles at the highest level. At 17, she’s one to watch and is just getting started.
ABOUT THIS SERIES
I'm Amy Wotovich, and I am on a mission to interview 100% of Team USA's 2026 Olympic and Paralympic athletes to create the most comprehensive mindset record of a single Games cycle. What do elite competitors actually believe about pressure, identity, failure, and joy? Avery Krumme is one of hundreds of athletes sharing their unfiltered answers. Follow the journey!
