With the power of love: Kilde's return to Val Gardena

With their rugged rock faces, the Dolomites can appear truly terrifying. But for Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, they exert an almost magical attraction.

16 December 2025

From: apa/fop

Norway's ski star has already won five World Cup races in Val Gardena. This week, he's once again hurtling down the legendary Saslong slope in South Tyrol. It's the next chapter in an impressive comeback story. A story of life, death, and Kilde's great love – not just for alpine skiing.

“We are each other’s rock,” Kilde recently said in several interviews about his fiancée, the exceptional American ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin. Without her, he implied, he would never have survived the nearly two years of suffering he has endured. The 33-year-old has often spoken about this period since his emotional return to the World Cup at the end of November – with Shiffrin bringing tears of emotion to her eyes. It speaks volumes. About Kilde in particular, and about this high-risk sport in general.

Danger is always present.

Even though Kilde and his teammates will be competing in two downhills and a Super-G in Val Gardena starting Thursday (11:45 a.m.), the first of the three races replaces the one that was canceled in Beaver Creek (USA) at the beginning of December. A tough schedule awaits the alpine stars. Just like in Wengen, where Kilde suffered a serious crash in January 2024 and perhaps narrowly escaped a tragic fate. Three races were also scheduled in Switzerland back then – and on the longest slope in the entire World Cup.

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is back in the Ski World Cup. © APA / EZRA SHAW

After Kilde crashed into the safety netting at full speed during the third Lauberhorn race of that winter, suffering serious injuries to his calf and shoulder, it was uncertain for a long time whether he would ever return to the big stage of skiing. The "Viking" was sidelined for 22 months. He had to undergo numerous operations. At times, he was confined to a wheelchair. An infection in his shoulder further complicated his recovery. Kilde faced unprecedented physical and mental challenges.

"His positivity and faith were a special inspiration to me." Mikaela Shiffrin

Shiffrin, whose hand he proposed to during this time and who herself suffered a serious crash at her home race in Killington in November 2024, was always by Kilde's side. "His positivity and belief during his injury and rehabilitation were a special inspiration to me," said Shiffrin, the five-time overall World Cup winner, about her partner this summer.

In top form in time for the Olympics?

Kilde once recounted how he promised his parents from his hospital bed that he would never race downhill again. Yet here he is again, back at the starting gate. Because, as he explained, he was born for this sport. The fascination he feels for it pushes his fears of what might happen to the sidelines. Like so many downhill aces. Kilde isn't the only one who has crashed and suffered serious injuries in recent years.

Kilde has yet to crack the top ten in his three appearances this season. However, many experts believe the 2020 overall World Cup winner could be in contention for a podium finish again at the Winter Olympics in Italy in February. Nearly four years ago in Beijing, Kilde won silver in the combined event and bronze in the Super-G. Will there be another Olympic medal in 2026? The men's races will take place in Bormio, on the Stelvio slope, which is even more notorious than the Saslong in the Dolomites.