Kilde's comeback story Back to success with the power of love?
Ski star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is also in the spotlight at the speed races in Val Gardena/Gröden. The Norwegian's return is a remarkable story about life, death and love - and not just for sport.
17.12.2025, 12:00
17.12.2025, 14:39
dpa
With their rugged rock faces, the Dolomites can be downright terrifying. For Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, however, they exert an almost magical attraction. Norway's ski star has already won five World Cup races in Val Gardena/Gröden. This week, he is once again racing down the legendary Saslong slope in South Tyrol. It is the next chapter in an impressive comeback story. A story of life, death and Kilde's great love - and not just for alpine skiing.
Almost two years of suffering
"We are the rock in the surf for each other," Kilde recently said in several interviews about his fiancée, the exceptional American ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin. Without her, he admitted, he would never have made it through the almost two years of suffering that lie behind him. The 33-year-old has often spoken about this time since he returned to the World Cup at the end of November amid great emotion - and tears of emotion for Shiffrin. It says a lot. About Kilde in particular and this high-risk sport in general.
The danger is always there. Even when Kilde and Co. compete in two downhill races and a super-G in Val Gardena/Gröden from Thursday (11.45 am). The first of the three races replaces the one that was canceled in Beaver Creek (USA) at the beginning of December. A tough program awaits the alpine aces. Just like in Wengen, where Kilde crashed so badly in January 2024 and may have narrowly escaped a tragic fate. Three races were also scheduled in Switzerland at the time - and on the longest slope in the entire World Cup.
Several operations and an infection
After Kilde crashed with full force into the catch fence in the third Lauberhorn race of that winter and seriously injured his calf and shoulder, it was not clear for a long time whether he would ever return to the big ski stage. The "Viking" was out for 22 months. He had to undergo several operations. In between, he was in a wheelchair. An infection in his shoulder made the healing process more difficult. Kilde was mentally and physically challenged like never before in his life.
Shiffrin, whose hand he asked for during this time and who herself crashed heavily at her home race in Killington in November 2024, was always by Kilde's side. "His positivity and belief during his injury and rehab were a particular inspiration to me," said Shiffrin, the five-time overall World Cup winner, about her partner this summer.
Back in top form in time for the Olympics?
Kilde himself once reported that he had promised his parents from his sickbed that he would not ski any more downhill races. Now he is back at the start after all. Because he was born for this sport, as he explained. The fascination he feels for it pushes his fears of what might happen to the sidelines. As with so many downhill aces. Kilde is not the only one to have crashed and suffered serious injuries in recent years.
Kilde has not yet made it into the top ten in his three appearances so far this season. However, quite a few experts believe that the 2020 overall World Cup winner could be back in contention for a podium finish at the Winter Olympics in Italy in February. Almost four years ago in Beijing, Kilde took silver in the combined and bronze in the super-G. Will there be another Olympic medal in 2026? The men's races take place in Bormio. On the Stelvio slope, which is even more notorious than the Saslong in the Dolomites.
