Lara Colturi made skiing history on Saturday. © ANSA / ANNA SZILAGYI

The “crazy” story behind Lara Colturi

Lara Colturi is considered a rising star in skiing. The Italian, who competes for Albania, made it onto the podium for the first time in the slalom in Gurgl, finishing second behind Mikaela Shiffrin. Here is her whole story.

27 November 2024

From: apa/dl

The daughter of Super-G Olympic champion Daniela Ceccarelli has been 18 for just over a week and has now achieved something historic for the Balkan state. There is much more to come, announces her sponsor Robert Trenkwalder.

As a 15-year-old, Colturi said "Ciao Italia" because the Italian association was allegedly hesitant about guaranteeing World Cup starts. Under the Albanian flag - the country of Ceccarelli's ancestors - competing was no problem. At 18, Colturi already has 41 races under her belt - although the junior world champion from St. Anton had to sit out for a long time in 2023. In February 2023, she tore the cruciate ligament in her right knee while warming up for the World Cup downhill for the "big ones".

Famous Mamma and the Red Bull School

She feels comfortable in her private environment with her trainer mother Daniela Ceccarelli and her trainer father Alessandro Colturi. With "Luisa" she has a mental trainer at her side, her service man has already worked with Alberto Tomba and Tina Maze. The teenager can also use the infrastructure of the Red Bull Athletes Performance Center and is looked after by the team around the Tyroleans Robert Trenkwalder and Patrick Riml in the RB special project for ski athletes. In the last few days, special training with Henrik Kristoffersen and Lucas Braathen was on the agenda.

Daniela Ceccarelli was once a world-class rider herself. © APA

She apparently caught Trenkwalder's eye when she was just 13 or 14. "Robert was the first to believe in us, in our crazy project," said Ceccarelli. The RB project offers "many opportunities for a big dream." Trenkwalder played the ball back. "I believe in her, she has incredible technique and is a good trainer." Colturi is inquisitive and able to take criticism. "You can talk to her and she listens." The World Cup experience at such a young age is incredibly valuable, emphasized Trenkwalder. "You notice how she learns with every run."

A certain coolness is obviously part of it. After she had advanced to fourth place in the first run with starting number 27, Colturi followed up with a brilliant second run. "I just want to have fun and keep doing my best," said Albania's first podium rider beaming with joy in the finish area. Meanwhile, her mother Ceccarelli fought back tears of joy and said: "She is young and still has a lot to learn, but she deserves it."