Aleksander Aamodt Kilde / GEPA pictures
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde has made significant strides in ski training and now says he may return to World Cup racing on Thursday, Nov. 27, in the super-G at Copper Mountain, Colo. He will decide on Wednesday evening.
Aamodt Kilde’s original goal before this season was to return for the Birds of Prey downhill in Beaver Creek, where official training is scheduled to begin on Dec. 2. Fans have followed his light-hearted 100-day social media countdown all fall.
Smiling happily during a Monday press conference, Aamodt Kilde offered encouraging updates. Teammates Adrian Smiseth Sejersted (2025 World Championship super-G bronze medalist) and Fredrik Møller (2024 Bormio super-G winner) also shared their thoughts as they enter the new speed season. Two additional Norwegian contenders may join the speed team for Thursday’s super-G.
Amazing Recovery
As many fans remember, Aamodt Kilde fell in the last turn and crashed violently into the safety fence during the January 2024 Lauberhorn downhill World Cup race in Wengen, Switzerland.
He injured his left shoulder, suffered a deep leg wound, and his injuries proved far more serious than initially expected. With several rounds of surgery and complications during healing and rehab, his journey back from the hospital bed, via a wheelchair, to a likely World Cup return has been long and difficult, both mentally and physically.
On Monday, he talked about the importance of patience and the belief that everything will be okay:
“If you manage to stay in the moment and see the small positive things in everyday life, because there is always something there, then you can get through it and it’s always much better in the end. I’ve learned a lot from that. The tough days you go through — they aren’t tough forever, and it will be good in the end. That is what I have learned from the most, from the challenges that came one after another. I will bring that with me for the rest of my life, and there will probably be more challenges to come.”
Goosebumps
Aamodt Kilde feels extremely excited about returning to the starting gate in the near future:
“It’s been a long time since I have had that feeling. I think now, it’s going to be more joy than ever. Because I know I’ve been on top of the game, I’ve won races, I know how to be fast, but returning from something like this after such a long time — that’s just so exciting. It’s giving me goosebumps sitting here just thinking about it.
“When I picture it, I see myself smiling,” he added while saying he normally doesn’t smile in the starting gate. “For me, this time, I think that (smile) is going to be real,” he chuckled happily.
“Aleks Looks Like Himself Again”
Teammate Smiseth Sejersted believes Kilde’s skiing already looks strong.
“Aleks looks like himself again. It is obvious that he can be back fighting for victories. It will be exciting.”
Aamodt Kilde said his comment made him feel proud but stressed the need to stay patient.
“When he says that, I feel proud. He knows me, and he’s an incredible skier as well.
“I kind of agree, but I also still need to be patient. I’ve been really patient until now, but from now on and until that victory is going to happen, this is where I need to be patient.
“People can say a lot of things and mean a lot of things, but it’s what I feel inside that matters, and right now, I feel more confident than I did the last 20-whatever months, and also really happy. I’m super happy to be where I am and that is what matters. When you’re happy and you can enjoy skiing and do what you love the most, then you’re also fast. But, again, I need to be patient and build step by step.”
Ready for Copper Mountain Thursday?
Copper Mountain has been warmer than recent years, making snowmaking difficult. With the crew preparing the race hill for four World Cup disciplines, full-length speed training opportunities have been limited.
The Norwegian men’s speed team has enjoyed their time in Colorado. Møller said the group had several productive days, including time on the race hill.
Aamodt Kilde sounded optimistic as he evaluated his preparation.
I’m feeling quite confident. It’s been an interesting camp. We’ve struggled with some snow. We’ve gotten some good gliding, and we’ve gotten some pretty nice days on long skis. I’ve gotten a lot of what I needed, but it’s too soon to say if I’ll be able to start Thursday. I need the next days, and let’s see what happens on Thursday. But I’m feeling quite okay.
“If I start Thursday, it’s a bonus. If so, I feel very ready, psychologically and physically, to take a step in the right direction. The best-case scenario is to start Thursday, because then I will, in a way, tear off the Band-Aid and get underway.”
The team is glad to have Aamodt Kilde back with them. He brings experience, elevates competitiveness, and adds positive energy to the team environment, according to Møller and Smiseth Sejersted.
Additional Vikings in Super-G
Along with Aamodt Kilde, Smiseth Sejersted and Møller, Atle Lie McGrath and Oscar Andreas Sandvik may start Thursday’s race.
Technical specialist Lie McGrath finished an impressive fifth in his first — and so far, only — World Cup super-G in Beaver Creek in December 2022.
Sandvik won the overall European Cup last season, along with the slalom European Cup title, and finished third in the giant slalom standings. He placed 18th in the recent Gurgl World Cup slalom and finished 15th in last season’s Hafjell slalom – only his 10th World Cup start.
Both are capable of strong results on Thursday, given optimal conditions.
Møller Feeling Good
Møller said he feels better than last season, citing improved comfort on his skis and the benefits of training with Aamodt Kilde.
He battled jumper’s knee over the summer but made adjustments, and now feels his right knee is much more stable. Physical tests show he is in his best shape yet.
“Especially in downhill, I feel a little bit better with the skis fitting me better, and the gliding turns feeling more comfortable. So, I think I will take some steps in downhill this year. The super-G is about the same as last year. It’s hard to tell before we start racing. You never know for sure how it’s going to be.”
Møller enjoyed his first full season on the Norwegian World Cup team last year, with great success. However, he did not have the benefit of Aamodt Kilde traveling with the team and sharing his expertise.
Now, Aamodt Kilde is back, and the two have shared a room at Copper Mountain for nearly two weeks. During that time, they have discussed expectations and pressure heading into the new season.
Møller is the newest addition in a long line of Norwegian speed giants.
“I’ve been looking up to them all my life and have wanted to ski like them, be as good as them. Now I’m taking a step closer, so it’s a dream come true.”
Smiseth Sejersted Craves Downhill
Smiseth Sejersted also feels prepared heading into the season but says Thursday’s super-G may be more technical than is ideal for him.
“It’s pretty high tempo and you really have to be skiing perfectly super-clean here. If you are not skiing perfectly clean, then time goes really fast.
“Even though super-G has always been my best discipline, I’ve felt that I have less control there. You only have one try. In downhill, you have two trainings beforehand, so you know exactly what to do.”
He expects a stronger performance in the Beaver Creek downhill, where the preparation and rhythm suit him better.
A Challenging Super-G
Despite warm temperatures and variable snow, the Norwegians fit in some full-length super-G training. Møller described the course as steep from top to bottom.
Aamodt Kilde expects unpredictability and believes surprising results are possible due to Copper’s aggressive snow and the lack of downhill training beforehand.
All three Norwegian speed specialists described the Copper super-G as challenging.
“Copper is going to be a very interesting race, because, usually, we have a downhill before the super-G and you can use that time to prepare your equipment. Usually, at Copper, the snow is super aggressive, and the material (equipment) speaks loudly. But I’m just very curious about how they prepare the snow, if they put a lot of water in it, and that’s something we can’t work on right now because we’re not on the race hill.
“I think, for this race, there may be some surprises… Who that is going to be, who knows? I just think it’s going to be kind of a different race, but very exciting.”
A Smooch for Mikaela?
After two days of men’s super-G and giant slalom at Copper Mountain, the women take over. Aamodt Kilde hopes to watch fiancée Mikaela Shiffrin race Saturday and Sunday if schedules allow.
“We’re in race mode, both of us, so we’re trying to be flexible. It would be nice to give her a hug and a smooch, but, you know, it’s race time, and that’s the primary focus right now… maybe I’ll be in the finish and watch her. That’ll be awesome.”
Preparing in Denver
After nearly two weeks in Copper, the Norwegian team spent a few days in Denver and enjoyed a day of training at the University of Denver (DU) athletic facilities.
The ski racing community is tight-knit, and familiar connections appear everywhere.
“We know a lot of the Norwegian guys who study there,” Møller said. Also, Norwegian men’s head speed coach Peter Anderson used to coach one of DU’s alpine coaches.
“It was cool; amazing training facilities and a huge university. We had a small tour around there, so it was amazing,” said Møller.
We will soon see whether DU inspiration and Norwegian determination result in a strong super-G performance on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27.
About the Author: Bente Bjørnsen Sherlock
