In addition to proving his worth on the speed track, the Norwegian has some creative projects cooking

After Lucas Pinheiro Braathen shot across the finish line of his first World Cup super-G race at Beaver Creek, finishing seventh with bib 33, he was elated and breathless.

“That was so f*cking cool,” he gasped, flinging off his gloves to reveal beautifully painted fingernails. He spent the next two hours circling the finish area, receiving hugs, high-fives, and signing autographs.

“My emotions were a bit different,” he said after the race. “I’m probably one of the calmer guys at the race start. That was one of my strengths. I went into radio silence. You’re nervous about this not being a kick-ass day. You’re nervous about your health for the first time in a long time. To say the least, I’m psyched for what went down.”

A tech specialist, Braathen, 22, was born in Norway to a Norwegian father and a Brazilian mother. He notched his first World Cup victory in the 2020 Soelden giant slalom. Later that season, he suffered a knee injury during a crash in the Adelboden slalom, sidelining him until the following season. He returned strong last season, consistently landing top 15s in slalom and GS. In Wengen last January, he landed his first mind-blowing World Cup slalom victory. Wearing bib No. 31, he was the second skier down the second run, and his red-hot run beat 28 skiers to take the win.

Norwegians on the rise

Braathen’s teammate and good friend Atle Lie McGrath, 22, has followed a similar trajectory. Taking a bit longer to find his stride, McGrath has also become a steady, dominant force in tech events. He’s landed several slalom victories in the last two seasons and skied from bib No. 32 to fifth place in his first super-G in Beaver Creek.

“It’s unbelievable how they charge,” said Norwegian superstar Aleksander Aamodt Kilde after landing his fourth straight victory at Beaver Creek. “I kind of knew it, though, because I’ve seen them ski. I know how they send it in races. They go for it. They’re both top 10 in their first super-G race. It’s quite incredible. It’s not the last time we’ll see them in super-G.”

Growing up in step

Braathen and McGrath met at age 11 at Bærums Ski Club near Oslo. They hit it off right away.

“We’ve been training a lot with each other since then,” Braathen said. “We do our steps simultaneously because we have so much trust in each other’s process and what we do together. We have a funny friendship because we’re so different in every way. In skiing, that’s sort of where our friendship comes together in the way we work. We relate so much in our approach to things, but our personalities are as different as you get. I think that’s a cool thing. It forces us to get different perspectives.” 

When asked to describe what sets their personalities apart, Braathen had quick answers.

Against the grain

“I’m hyper-social,” he said. “Everything that will threaten a system – that’s where I blossom. I love that stuff. That’s a lot of the key behind my success. Atle is very conservative. He’s this super structured guy that always sees things three steps ahead. I think that dynamic helps us a lot. I think a lot of my weak points are his strong and vice-versa.”

Like McGrath, Braathen is unquestionably shaping up to be one of the most talented ski racers of his time. He’s also one of the most unique. His style and personality certainly go against the norm of most stars in alpine racing.

With a passion for fashion, Braathen has teased a forthcoming clothing line on his social media channels.  

Fashion for balance

“I have to have something to contrast skiing because skiing drives me nuts,” he said. “You’re traveling 250 days a year with the same people. That’s really against my nature. My interest needs to be in different people and travel and stuff. Fashion is one of those things. I’ve always wanted to express myself with fashion, but I’ve never dared because we come from a very conservative and strict industry that doesn’t encourage it, to say the least.”

Once Braathen proved his talent in alpine racing, he found the confidence to allow his personality to shine.

“I came to a level in skiing where I realized, hey, I’m not leaning on anyone right now. I’m a good skier. I can cover for myself. I can pay for a roof over my head and my meals. So who am I to fulfill everyone else’s expectations? I’m just going to be me. People are just going to have to take it like they want.”

Acceptance in the sport

People, at least the World Cup crew with whom Braathen constantly travels, seem to take it pretty well. As evidenced by the many genuine hugs and high fives he received in Beaver Creek following his impressive SG debut, the guy seems to have plenty of friends –and competitors – who like him for who he is.

Side projects

As for his forthcoming fashion endeavors, the Norwegian said they are going to be revealed next year. Don’t expect to get too much of a sneak peek in the meantime, though.

“Nuh, uh-uh. You’re not getting it yet,” he said, wagging his finger. “We have two releases coming up next year and the year after that. I’m super excited. I can’t wait to start working on some projects where I can combine the active sports world and fashion. Being able to express myself in fashion is a really cool outlet.”