Lara Gut-Behrami started the final season of her career with a podium finish. © ANSA / GIAN EHRENZELLER

Gut-Behrami: “A sadness I don’t need”

Lara Gut-Behrami kicked off the final season of her career with a podium finish at the World Cup opening in Sölden. Afterwards, she shared some insights into her thoughts – SportNews was there.

26 October 2025

From Sölden

One race, two different (Swiss) worlds: While 19-year-old Shaienne Zehnder got her first taste of World Cup action on Saturday afternoon, her prominent compatriot Lara Gut-Behrami competed in her 15th giant slalom on the Rettenbachferner glacier. From the outside, however, the performance of the grandmaster from Ticino was anything but routine. In June, the Beijing Olympic champion announced her retirement, Podium ride in the Ötztal Alps The main focus was on kicking off in Sölden – one last time with Gut-Behrami. And the first of many last times, to be precise.

But how sentimental does a ski queen actually get with such thoughts? Is she saying goodbye to places like Sölden, Val-d'Isère, or Kronplatz on her last dance through the winter? "I prefer to think about the competition and my goals rather than constantly reminding myself that I'm competing somewhere for the last time," Gut-Behrami explained in a media roundtable. SportNews. "That's just not who I am."

Olympia as the final chapter for Gut-Behrami

Ultimately, such an approach would drain an enormous amount of mental energy. "I'm not a person who looks back. If I kept thinking to myself, 'That was the last time I'll be here,' then that's a sadness I don't need," the two-time world champion continued. "There's nothing positive to be gained from that."

“There is still so much ahead of me, my life doesn’t end in March.” Lara Gut-Bahrami

The 2026 Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo will mark the grand final chapter in the illustrious career of the two-time overall World Cup winner. And then? "There's still so much ahead of me; my life doesn't end in March," Gut-Behrami emphasized. "Although I won't be competing in the World Cup in Sölden in a year, I'll be somewhere else." It's already certain that she and her husband, Valon Behrami, will move to England, where the latter will become technical director of Watford Football Club.

Gut-Behrami: “I’m just too proud for that”

So for one last season, Gut-Behrami intends to give it her all – and nothing less. "I've decided to ski this season the way I've always skied," emphasized the 34-year-old. "Skiing down at the end with the flag and waving to everyone – that's not the goal." Next March, as her career end looms, "I might feel different emotions," admitted the 48-time World Cup winner. But: "I wouldn't go to the weight room every day, work and sweat, just to ski down easy. I'm just too proud for that."

Lara Gut-Behrami is once again attacking hard. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

Gut-Behrami will not be competing in the slalom races in Levi (November 15/16) and Gurgl (November 22/23), but she will be back in the fight for the crystal globes at the end of November in the USA. And with full force. "I feel good, I'm healthy, and I'm skiing well," she said. "I'll work on the things I couldn't show today and try to be even better in the next races." So, everything's business as usual for Gut-Behrami—just with a hint of a farewell.