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For decades, running shoes have been researched, tested, and designed for men. But womenβs feet differ from menβs in numerous ways: an increased toe splay, higher arches, a more narrow heel, a lower ankle bone, upward angled toenails, and a rounded instep that is smaller in circumference. That's where Hettas comes in. They've built their shoes for women from the ground up.
Try a pair out today! Use the code STAYFEISTY for 20% OFF at hettas.com.
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"I feel like womenβs tennis stands on its own right now. We have so many great athletes and great stories to present. We donβt necessarily need to compare to menβs tennis."
β Iga ΕwiΔ
tek, the women's world #2, on why she isn't a fan of the Battle of the Sexes II match between #1 Aryna Sabalenka & Nick Kyrgios
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A few women's sports events we're excited about in 2026
Mark your calendars! ποΈ
Sure, you're back in the office and officially in 'just looping back on this' szn. But that doesn't mean you can't start daydreaming about all the sports to come this year. π
With tons of new women's leagues ready to launch (the return of women's pro baseball! flag football!) and new teams (Boston & Denver coming to the NWSL!), there's plenty to get excited about.
Along with league finals (PWHL, LOVB) and regular crowns to be awarded (the Marathon Majors, tennis Grand Slams), here are a few of the things we're counting down to this year...
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(Photo: Team USA)
Olympics & Paralympics π₯
Feb. 6-22 & March 6-15
One month out, this is the big one for 2026: The Winter Olympics, followed by the Paralympics, in Milan. Teams are shaping up (which, yes, include Lindsey Vonn!), questions are being raised about if construction will be finished in time, hype is building. Around 3,500 athletes are expected to compete in 16 Olympic and six Paralympic sports. Stay tuned!
BONUS TIP: Registration for the ticket draw for the LA 2028 Olympics also opens on Jan. 14.
March Madness & the Final Four π
April 3-5
The WNBA will start its 30th season this May (assuming an agreement on a new contract can be reached π¬) and the upstart 3v3 league, Unrivaled, already tipped off its second year this week. But it's the college March Madness tournament β which, yes, starts in March β that's helped spur the basketball "madness" the last few years. Will UConn repeat? Or will it be 2024 champs S. Carolina back on top? With USC star Juju Watkins still out from an ACL tear during last year's tournament can the Southern California team fill in her hole? Can LSU keep churning out stars?
Women's Champions League Final β½
May 23
Yeah, sure it's a men's World Cup year. But that doesn't mean there's not still a lot of record-breaking women's soccer to be watched. NWSL season kicks off in March with the finals on Nov. 21. But, it's the Women's Champions League that will really be the iconic soccer tournament of the year: 18 teams compete to be named the best club across Europe.
Commonwealth Games π¬π§
July 23 - Aug. 2
It's like the summer Olympics, but just for the Commonwealth of Nations (mostly formerly British colonies)! This year's Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow with ten sports β with para integrated into those sports offerings: 3v3 basketball, track and field, gymnastics, lawn bowling, boxing, track cycling, judo, netball, swimming, and weightlifting.
Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift π²
Aug. 1-9
In early May, La Vuelta Femenina will be the first of the women's Grand Tours. Followed by the Giro d'Italia Women at the end of the month. But it's the fifth edition of the women's Tour de France β the biggest bike race in the world β that every cycling fan has circled on their calendar. Every year since its inception, the ante has upped and upped. Now, this year's nine-day route will finally include the mythical Mont Ventoux.
World Athletics Ultimate Championship πββοΈ
Sept. 11-13
It's not a world championship, but it's kinda like a world championship. In the off year (non-Olympic, non-World Championship), World Athletics is launching its brand new first-ever Ultimate Championship to be held in Budapest: a compact three-day event with limited athlete spots, semis & finals only for optimal TV, and $10 million in prize money.
Ironman World Championship πββοΈ π΄ββοΈ πββοΈ
Oct. 10
No, we're not super excited about the end of the all-women's World Championship event. This year, the women will be back combined with the men β and the amateur women will lose their equal number of spots. But after last year's wild race, which saw two different leaders collapse in the final miles, we can't wait to see what happens next.
What are you excited about in 2026? |
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Tip of the week
While any kind of strength training has health and performance benefits, if you really want to get the most out of your weight lifting then it's time to try barbells. ποΈββοΈ
When we talk about barbell training, we're typically talking about the four compound lifts: squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead press. The benefit of picking that barbell up and down is that it's a lot easier to lift heavier and recruit a lot more muscles. Plus, it's ideal for progressive overload, allowing you to build weight gradually over time.
If you're not sure how to get started, we have some tips on getting a set-up that works for you. And our Feisty Strong Barbell Club starts next week, with 12 weeks of workouts, virtual group coaching sessions, guest experts, and a community of other women looking to get strong.
πͺ SIGN UP: Feisty Strong Barbell Club starts on Monday
The highlight reel
- π₯ To kick off the new year with a match in Puerto Rico, Amanda Serrano π΅π· defended her featherweight boxing titles in a unanimous decision over Reina Tellez.
- π₯ π₯ π₯ Jessie Diggins won her third Tour de Ski, a prestigious week-long cross-country ski stage race.
- πΏ Mikaela Shiffrin's historic win streak was finally broken β after going five for five in slalom World Cups to kick off the season. Camille Rast took the slalom World Cup win in Slovenia and won the giant slalom the day before.
- βΈοΈ Four-time Olympian Brittany Bowe won the 1,500m and gold medalist Erin Jackson won the 500m and 1,000m (where Bowe took second) at the U.S. Speedskating Olympic Trials. But the drama came for the second Olympic spot in the 1,500m β when the 3,000m champ, Greta Myers, was forced to re-skate a time trial later in the day after being DQ'd from her original race.
- Summer Britcher πΊπΈ became the first American to win a luge World Cup in eight years, with a win in Park City. And then won the World Cup in Latvia three weeks later.
- βοΈ βοΈ βοΈ Finishing in 3:48:43, Catherine Drysdale π¦πΊ became the first woman to win the Antarctic Ice Marathon overall.
- Elizabeth Laseter ran a 5:56 beer mile πΊ for the world championship title.
- The U.S. πΊπΈ made a clean sweep of all four games against Canada π¨π¦ in the hockey Rivalry Series. π
- πββοΈ Ultrarunning legend Ann Trason, who now has Rheumatoid Arthritis and hasn't done an event in six years, covered 100 miles using a walker at the six-day Across the Years race.
- πββοΈ 5x world champ Carissa Moore won the Pipe Pro in her first surfing event back after giving birth ten months ago.
- πββοΈ Big wave champ Justine Dupont rode the massive waves in NazarΓ©, Portugal and won the Big Wave Challenge.
- 45-year-old Venus Williams πΎ will be the oldest woman to compete in the Australia Open main draw after earning a wildcard.
Your Feisty recommendations
π§ What to listen to: The Feisty Women's Performance podcast is *back!* First episode lands on Monday. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Youtube.
πΊ What to watch: 60 Minutes talked with figure skating champ Alysa Liu about leaving the sport as a teenager and coming back now
π What to read: Turning Pointe: How a new generation of dancers is saving ballet from itself
π What we loved: Can the 3x hockey world champ pull a car while skating?
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