Marta Bassino (left) beams with Sara Hector (right). © @martabassino / Instagram

Greetings from Tierra del Fuego: Bassino shines with ski star

Ski star Marta Bassino is embarking on the new season in southern Argentina. The two-time world champion also met a prominent brand colleague.

August 31, 2025

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The interplay of sun and clouds casts a dangerous red hue over Ushuaia, while the mountains of the southern Andes are covered in snow. "First week down here," Marta Bassino captioned the picturesque image on social media. Alongside this, there are other impressions from her training camp, which she will be completing from August 22 to September 27 near Argentina's southernmost city. The mission is clear: In the heart of Tierra del Fuego, Bassino wants to ignite the spark that will rekindle her career.

The 29-year-old, who won the small crystal globe in the giant slalom in 2021, has had a disastrous season. She finished in the top 10 only six times in the World Cup. At the Ski World Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, the Italian star failed in the first run of the giant slalom and had to settle for 16th place in the super-G. Then, in March, the Azzurra suffered the ultimate punishment: Bassino missed the World Cup final in the giant slalom. Incidentally, she has been waiting for a podium finish in her signature discipline since January 2023.

Transfer to Head should bring about change

The deep form crisis was followed by a radical step. After more than 20 years with equipment supplier Salomon, Bassino decided to change brands and joined HeadIn addition to Bassino, Lindsey Vonn, Lara Gut-Behrami, Wendy Holdener, Camille Rast, and Sara Hector are also racing for the Austrian brand. The Italian also met the latter during her training stay in Ushuaia.

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A post shared by Marta Bassino (@martabassino)

In contrast to Bassino, Hector can look back on strong results last winter. The 32-year-old celebrated two World Cup victories in the giant slalom and was on the podium in six races. At the World Championships, however, she "only" managed to secure a medal (bronze) in the team event. In the battle for the small crystal globe, Hector (487 points) finished behind Alice Robinson (600) and Federica Brignone (680).

Sara Hector topped the podium twice last season. © APA/afp / JURE MAKOVEC

As the posted pictures show, Bassino and Hector also spent time together on the snow. Looking ahead to the coming winter, the Italian could learn a few tricks from her new brand colleague. Hector will, after all, compete as the defending giant slalom champion at the 2026 Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo.