Mikaela Shiffrin was overcome with emotion. © Instagram

Shiffrin in tears: This scene moves the ski world

He's back: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde made his comeback in the Ski World Cup on Thursday. His girlfriend, Mikaela Shiffrin, couldn't contain her emotions.

27 November 2025

From: det

The first speed race of the season – and already so many emotions! Yes, there were touching scenes that unfolded on Thursday in Copper Mountain (USA). This time it was less... to do with Marco Odermatt's narrow but spectacular victory, but rather with Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, who made a goosebump-inducing comeback.

684 days after his horrific crash in Wengen – in which the Norwegian suffered, among other things, a serious shoulder injury in January 2024 – the 33-year-old was back in the starting gate. And as Kilde prepared with bib number 22, emotions ran high. His fiancée, Shiffrin, was standing in the finish area, covering her face with her hands and fighting back tears.

Shiffrin and Kilde embrace after the race. © APA / EZRA SHAW

After a nearly two-year hiatus, Kilde presented himself in surprisingly strong form, skiing some magnificent turns and competing among the best in the upper section. Only towards the end did he run out of steam, and so the former overall World Cup winner finished in 24th place. However, that was of secondary importance on this day. As Kilde crossed the finish line, he dropped his poles and buried his face in his hands. At the same time, his girlfriend Shiffrin was completely overcome with emotion before falling into Aleks' arms.

"Aleks is so strong and I am so proud of him." Mikaela Shiffrin

“That was incredible today, a dream,” Kilde said in an interview with the ORF. “I had many scenarios in mind before the start, but I didn’t expect it to go so well today. The time is okay, but some of the turns were really good.” And his fiancée Shiffrin explains: “I was very nervous today. Aleks has worked and fought so hard these past few months. I know what it’s like to be back at the starting gate after a long break: You’re confident and full of energy, but at the same time, you don’t know how it’s going to go.”

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But for the world's best female skier, one thing is clear: "Aleks is so strong and I'm so proud of him." Aleksander Aamodt Kilde's comeback was therefore a highly emotional affair. Now the Norwegian is off to Beaver Creek, where the next speed races will take place in a week. His girlfriend Mikaela, on the other hand, remains in Copper Mountain, where she will compete on Saturday and Sunday.