“This little girl is making her World Cup debut,” the young German woman rejoices.

World Cup debut: A famous ski name returns

A young German woman will make her World Cup debut on Saturday – thus following in the footsteps of her famous mother.

14 November 2025

From: det

After a two-week break, the Ski World Cup is back! The first slalom races of the season will take place in Levi on Saturday and Sunday. It will be a very special moment for Romy Ertl: the 18-year-old German will be making her debut in the premier class of skiing.

Ertl? World Cup? Germany? Wasn't there something about that? Yes, exactly! Romy's mother is Martina Ertl, one of the best German skiers in history. Around the turn of the millennium, the all-rounder reached the podium 57 times in 407 World Cup races, 14 of those times on the top step. The now 52-year-old also became combined world champion and won three medals at the Olympic Games.

Martina Ertl is one of the best German skiers in history. © APA

Martina Ertl ended her career in 2006, and a year later she became a mother to little Romy. And Romy is following in her famous mother's footsteps, making her World Cup debut on Saturday. "My biggest childhood dream is coming true," Romy wrote on Instagram, posting several photos and videos of herself as a very young girl on skis.

Romy Ertl wants to follow in her mother's footsteps.

“This little girl will be competing in her very first World Cup race on Saturday. I’m so excited,” the 18-year-old skier exclaimed. Romy has repeatedly demonstrated her considerable talent in the past. Among other achievements, she won the bronze medal in the Alpine Combined at the 2024 Youth Olympic Games in January.

Check out this post on Instagram

A post shared by Romy Ertl (@romy.ertl)

Now, with her World Cup debut, comes her first moment of glory among the "big leagues." Nineteen years after her mother's retirement, the Ertl name will once again appear in the World Cup circuit.