California's 6'7" Skier Bryce Bennett Will Have an Edge at The Winter Olympics

Bryce Bennett towers above his fellow downhill racers standing six-foot-seven inches tall, while his long legs enable him to brilliantly absorb vast and varied terrain while rifling down mountainsides.

The 14-year U.S. Ski Team veteran from Truckee, California, attributes much of his ski racing style and success to years of freeskiing, able to react in a heartbeat, instinctively navigating whatever is thrown at him. 

“Growing up in Palisades, it was kind of what you did. There were so many days where it was like ‘no chance for training’ which we embraced heavily, just skiing powder all the time,” Bennett tells POWDER, after a race in Val Gardena, Italy. “We enjoyed it, and it developed different skills that a lot of these other guys don't have. But I don’t know if it helped my technical ability very much.

“My entire life was about who could hit the biggest cliff, jump off the stupidest stuff, so that part is natural to me, the big jumps and air. But where I get the feeling is from BMX racing, which I did for eight, nine years, growing up to a decent, high level. It’s that feeling of being able to work the terrain and use it. It gets me speed where people don’t think you can.

“I wish that I skied more like that when I go home, but it’s harder to motivate now, so I’ve been finding different avenues to enjoy winter,” he said.

Understandably so. As the 33-year-old skier focuses on making his third Olympic Winter Games, those other avenues include an inspiring new distraction. With wife Kelley, Bryce is a proud father to nine-month-old daughter Kate.

“It’s been super fun, different, and quite the experience—lots of FaceTiming,” Bennett says, about being a new father. “It's sometimes tough with the time difference, but Kelley and the baby are coming over here soon for the winter, so that will be nice.”

And while fun-filled powder days may not stoke Bennett’s fire in the same fashion as his earlier days roaming northern California’s terrain, he remains highly motivated to thrive at the fast-approaching Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. 

“The Olympics are so cool because you can bring a special mindset that I think is hard to achieve every weekend, but with all of its energy and mystique, it adds something additional to your mental arsenal, and to harness that is special,” Bennett says.

The two-time Olympian plans to embrace the broader social elements and universality that the five rings symbolize.

“This aspect of the Olympic Games is special, bringing all of the best winter athletes from different disciplines together. And it happens just every four years, so I like embracing that,” Bennett says.

“I like trading pins too and meeting so many other people from different sports and countries, so that’s really cool. I think sometimes this gets overlooked by us athletes and media. 

“The experience is something to celebrate – obviously, everyone wants to win, but there’s a much deeper meaning to it all.”

Keep reading for more about Bennett's bid for Olympic glory.

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Battling Bormio’s Stelvio on the Olympic Stage

Bennett is pumped to once again challenge Bormio’s vaunted Stelvio piste, an unrelenting and notoriously bumpy, knee-rattling and shadow-filled two-mile roller coaster ride that leaves well-conditioned athletes gasping for breath. 

Racers exceed speeds well over 80 miles per hour on the classic Italian course nestled in Italy’s Valtellina region, accelerating straight out of the start house.

“It’s in your face right out of the start, you’re going very fast, very quickly, probably up to 90 miles per hour, ten seconds into it,” Bennett informs. “Right out of the gate is an opportunity to put the hammer down and take a little more risk. For those willing, you can gain a few tenths there.” 

Bennett’s best result in Bormio came in December 2018, having finished fourth in a downhill race. He looks ahead with Italian passion to February’s Olympic races on the familiar piste.

"To have an Olympic downhill on a classic World Cup track is just special, so cool, and I’m not sure if that has ever happened before,” Bennett says, his assumption correct, discounting Robert Redford’s gold medal run in the fictitious 1969 film classic Downhill Racer.

The world's premier men’s speed skiers are accustomed to competing at often dangerous and physically demanding races in Bormio, in late December. However, with the men’s Olympic speed races being contested in early February, substantially more sunlight is expected to illuminate the shadowy course, potentially resulting in a more forgiving snow surface, enhanced visibility, and a less turbulent descent. 

“I am excited to ski this in the sun,” Bennett said. “It will probably still be bumpy and icy, but at least with a little bit of light, it will be fun. But 100 percent, it’s going to be cloudy on Olympic race day, and then we’ll have flat light as always,” he adds, with a big laugh. “I just want a run that I’m proud of.”

Rounding into Olympic Form

Bennett’s results across four Olympic races, equally divided between PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022, have been solid, yet far from spectacular. Twice he has finished 17th, along with an 18th and 19th. Given his Olympic experience and positive attitude, the big Californian is envisioning his third Olympics to be a charm.

Before Bennett and his opponents ski into the bright lights of the Olympic Games, they’ll first encounter the January classics: the grueling Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen, Switzerland, followed by the historic Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuhel, Austria.

The veteran skier shared his mindset to achieve speed across all important European races.

“I’ve just got to build. It’s not like just putting my entire focus into one downhill run. It's every weekend. Just try to execute, get some momentum rolling, and turn the brain off a little bit. I just need to find some speed and flow, and we'll be all right.”

Bennett’s track record in Italy—his greatest success being in Val Gardena, as opposed to Bormio—includes two career World Cup downhill victories, in 2021 and 2023. Six of his eight World Cup top-five finishes have been on Italian snow. Perhaps it’s the mouth-watering cuisine or welcoming vibes, but there seems to be something special in the Italian alpine air that invigorates Bryce and his U.S. teammates.

“It’s Italy. We like it here and feel pretty comfortable here,” he notes.

American downhill racers have risen to the occasion at the biggest events, thriving under pressure when everyone is watching. Brash Bill Johnson backed up his bold predictions by becoming the first American to win Olympic downhill gold at Sarajevo 1984, while Tommy Moe upset the favored Norwegians at Lillehammer 1994, also striking downhill gold.

The Milan-Cortina 2026 men’s Olympic downhill is scheduled for February 7th, 2026, on the first full day of Olympic competition. It may seem improbable, but perhaps Bryce will find it within him to carry on the American tradition and become the third U.S. men’s downhiller to descend, against all odds, to Olympic glory.

“Having the opportunity to put it all together on race day in Bormio is something special, a unique and mental challenge that the Olympics provide,” Bennett says. “You’d be the man if you won that thing. I’m totally capable there.”