Lila Lapanja on stepping back from ski racing | Podcast

Nov 10, 2026

Lila Lapanja / GEPA pictures

The decision

For the first time in many years, without an injury to manage, Lila Lapanja isn’t preparing for the Levi World Cup this month or the season’s first Europa Cup or NorAm Cup slalom.

In this conversation, Lapanja discusses her nationality switch, her next steps in the sport and much more, so listen and watch below.

Lapanja had been an independent athlete for most of her senior racing career until two years ago, when she confirmed her switch from the U.S. to Slovenia.

Now things are a little different. After dealing with continued back problems, among other injuries throughout her career, Lapanja has chosen to take a step back and reframe her career.

Always in ski racing

Lapanja started skiing at age 2 in the Tahoe area of California and was racing before age 10.

Her Slovenian father, Vojko, raced for Yugoslavia before racing for Sierra Nevada College. He moved to California for college and met Lapanja’s mother, Marjie, there. Marjie, who also managed Lapanja, and Vojko both played important roles in her development and remained part of her career.

The former U.S. athlete has a best World Cup finish of 23rd in Flachau, a result she achieved in both 2016 and 2023.

The past and the future

Lapanja previously appeared on the Skiing Is Believing podcast in 2024, after switching her sporting nationality to Slovenia. She had been called up to the U.S. Ski Team for the first time at age 16.

If she decides that she isn’t yet ready for retirement, Lapanja will keep her FIS license, leaving open the possibility of racing again.

The Olympic dream

The decision comes nine months after Lapanja achieved one of her lifelong dreams by competing at the Olympic Winter Games, finishing 36th in the slalom in Cortina d’Ampezzo in February.

The achievement meant a lot to Lapanja. In the conversation, she talks in detail about her Olympic dreams and growing up in Tahoe, California.

Closing thoughts

Toward the end of the show, Lapanja was visibly emotional when reflecting on what the sport has given to her and how she hopes to give back.

While Lapanja’s next career is unclear, she’s sure that it will be somewhere in ski racing.

About the Author: Matt Garcka

Matt Garcka is the co-host of the Skiing is Believing podcast and an emerging voice in ski racing journalism. Introduced to the sport by his co-host and grandfather, Garcka began following alpine ski racing four years ago and quickly developed a deep passion for the World Cup circuit and the athletes who define it. That passion helped launch Skiing is Believing, now in its third series, where Garcka combines analysis, storytelling, and fan perspective to cover the sport. At just 16, he began building a career in sports journalism and hopes to one day become a senior ski racing commentator.

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