Molly Butler finished the 2025-2026 season with some solid results in Slalom and Giant Slalom, a batch of mid thirty results that saw her end the season with a world ranking of 115 in slalom and 205 in Giant Slalom. Impressive results on their own. With her rise up the rankings and her programme changing for the new season, she now trains with Australian Phoebe Heaydon under the training of Belgian Xan Alaerts. The rewards have been promising to say the least.
Heaydon is Australian so she had to head down under for the summer and this made it sensible for Butler to go down as well for her summer training block. During the time that the two were there, they managed to include the ANC races, the Australian and New Zealand equivalent of the Europa Cup. With a spot on the World Cup available for the series winner, this enticed a number of quality racers from Switzerland and America to battle it out.
With years of training alongside the Carrick-Smith boys, Butler had benefitted hugely from this but when men's and women's programmes go in different directions, it made sense to try pastures new.
At the end of last season, both Heaydon and Butler realised that they did not have a team to train with and so decided to join together. The fact they both compete in GS and slalom made the move an easy one to come to. It was meant to be with both girls in the right place at the right time. Alaerts was known to Butler as he had spent time helping with the coaching of Luca Carrick-Smith.
Training went well yet the results that Butler produced in the ANC races were above her expectations: One win, three other podiums and a 4th saw her win the coveted Yellow bib and a spot on the Slalom World Cup. Butler will make her World Cup debut in Levi. Add to this she is now ranked 64 in slalom, the lowest in the GB Team, and is hovering around the 200 mark in Giant Slalom.
With these higher rankings, where does she feel she will be focusing this season, World Cup or Europa Cup? "Both, definitely both as much as the programme allows," she explained, "It would be stupid not to the way I am skiing at the moment," she adds.
With the improved results, she is now the Number one ranked skier on Dynastar in Slalom "which is insane" she said.
Butler is very calm as she talks after she got back from New Zealand. "On the day (after the races) it ws really crazy and we had some time to celebrate after but you just take it as it comes. It is a long term celebration as for the rest of the season, even if I ski terribly, which I won't, I still have the bib. It is an ongoing happiness."
Butler is supported by her mother with the administration side of things in being a ski racer and something that Molly is extremely appreciative of.
From returning to Europe to the start of training on snow, Butler is taking the time to do the physical training and then snow training started early October.
The talk moves on to making her World Cup debut in Levi: "I have watched all the races from there and am so excited!"
Levi has great memories for British racers: Dave Ryding was close to winning there, Laurie Taylor finished 4th there last season and Luca Carrick-Smith made his World Cup debut there last year. What does Butler feel about it? "Its Levi Black, who wouldn't be excited?"
Hopefully the 'mental resilience' that Butler produced in New Zealand and "learning to crack on when you have to" will see her battle her way into the second run in Levi.
Molly is grateful to Dynastar, Level, Vola, Oakley, thebodymechanics.co.uk, Ladies Ski Club, Kandahar Ski Club and the British Ski Academy for their help in her career.
Picture credit Fall-Liners