Lucas Braathen Returns to World Cup Racing

GEPA Pictures

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen announced Thursday that he will return to World Cup ski racing – representing Brazil. During a news conference live-streamed on Red Bull’s platforms, the Norwegian-Brazilian alpine skiing superstar highlighted his reasons to return, the current relationship with the Norwegian Ski Team, his FIS-point status after changing nations, and the hope to leave a positive legacy.

Many have anticipated and hoped for Braathen’s return to alpine ski racing after he surprisingly announced that he quit ski racing in October 2023, only days before the World Cup season opener in Sölden, Austria.

After his October announcement, the ski racing community and the media started speculating whether Braathen would start racing for Brazil. Braathen holds dual citizenship in Brazil and Norway. Brazil is his second home country. He has spent a lot of time there, especially as a child, living with his mother and his mother’s side of the family.

Brazilian connection

Braathen showed his close ties to Brazil during Thursday’s news conference from the Red Bull Hangar 7 in Salzburg, Austria.

Smilingly, he started his announcement by speaking in Portuguese before switching to English:

“For everyone in the crowd who doesn’t understand Portuguese: We’re here today because I am returning to the sport of alpine ski racing, and I am doing that representing the country where I discovered my love for sports, Brazil. I’m beyond proud to be able to represent them in World Cups, World Championships and Olympic Games. I am very proud to share that today.”

Wearing a bright green cardigan in honor of the Brazilian flag’s primary color, he talked about his thoughts and emotions developing from October and through the winter, leading to his decision to come back representing the Brazilian Snow Sports Federation:

What he missed

“During my time away from the sport, what I found very difficult was not waking up every day in the pursuit of becoming the best in the world in something. I discovered how difficult that was. Obviously, the lack of time spent on the activity that brings me the most joy, which is skiing,” Braathen said while speaking with the moderator Austria’s former top alpine ski racer Alexandra Meissnitzer.

“And then, probably the most decisive factor was the moments that only sport in this world has to offer. Being able to perform in front of tens of thousands of people, sharing that moment, and putting on a show.”

The path from quitting to coming back

Braathen said it felt “farfetched” to return to alpine ski racing when he announced quitting in October. He spent time with family in Norway and Brazil and stayed on an island outside of his family’s hometown São Paulo, to spend time away from the sport and his career.

Still, he felt flattered by the support from the skiing industry, fans, former teammates, and competitors.

“Progressively, it became more and more difficult to watch these races and not be part of the show,” Braathen said Thursday.

Support

When Braathen visited his partners before his October announcement, they all showed support, he explained during Thursday’s news update:

“They told me that if I ever wanted to come back, they would be the first ones to support that and find a way we could do that, whether that would be for Norway or Brazil.”

Click on image to enlarge

Also, Norway’s previous alpine skiing legend, Aksel Lund Svindal, has offered great support and advice during the last months’ process. Braathen has sought advice from Svindal on several occasions and shared how Svindal suggested to Braathen that he should put himself in a position where he could easily return to alpine ski racing if he ever changed his mind.

The moment which turned things around

Braathen said during the news conference that the moment that made him change his mind and want to return to ski racing was this season’s Adelboden race. Atle Lie McGrath did a “copy-paste” from Adelboden the previous year when Lie McGrath finished second and Braathen finished first, Braathen said. And with “Sander” Steen Olsen being the last racer at the start gate, ready to defend the first-place position just like Braathen did the previous year, “that felt like a sign,” Braathen said. This made him realize he had to explore whether it would be possible to return to racing.

The new team

Braathen’s new team has not yet been put together. He said:

“The most important thing is being able to work and collaborate with the people in an infrastructure that embodies my vision of doing something that’s never been seen before and wanting to do something that’s outside the box.

“I want people with good vibrations and positive spirits that want to work together and not against each other. And that want to travel the world and have fun skiing.”

He pointed out that he depends on his partners to build this program. He also stated:

“I wouldn’t be able to return to the sports if it wasn’t with the dream of becoming best again.

“I’m looking at establishing myself as quickly as possible in positions where I can threaten podiums and wins in technical disciplines. Obviously, coming into the first championships with a Brazilian flag on my back is something I am very proud of and very eager to make happen,” Braathen said.

Tension

Braathen said in October that there was no longer room for his dreams and joy in ski racing.

One factor leading up to Braathen’s decision was the long-running conflict between the Norwegian Ski Federation and Norwegian national team alpine ski racers regarding marketing rights. The tension between Braathen and the Norwegian federation was apparent.

Now, another issue could lead to conflict. When changing nationalities within the FIS system, alpine skiers face a determining factor regarding their FIS points and rankings. Do they get to keep their FIS points? This issue was also the case for Braathen:

Would the Norwegian Ski Federation release Braathen’s ski racing license so he could start competing for Brazil with the FIS points he has earned while representing Norway?

Or, if the Norwegian Ski Federation refused to do so, Braathen would have to start from scratch with 999 FIS points in each discipline. Hence, he would not be qualified to race in the World Cup or continental cups but would have to start last in regular FIS races and work his way up the FIS ranking lists.

“Norwegian” FIS points

However, during Thursday’s news conference, Braathen confirmed that the Norwegian Ski Federation has allowed him to transfer his FIS points to his Brazilian license.

“I want to express my gratitude towards the Norwegian federation for allowing us to separate on good and friendly terms, leaving the past behind us,” Braathen said and pointed out:

“Everything that I’ve been able to achieve up until this point has happened within the (Norwegian) Ski Federation system and (with) my lovely former athletes and coaches.”

Bringing his current FIS points with him to Brazil will significantly positively affect Braathen’s comeback.

Former teammates and coaches

Braathen stated Thursday that leaving the Norwegian National Team has been difficult.

“I’ve been going through some beautiful yet demanding conversations with all my former coaches and teammates. What I think is important for me to mention is that with every big choice in life, there are huge sacrifices and there are downsides. And the downside in this scenario is that I’ve had to let go of my former teammates,” Braathen said.

He told all of them: “I would never have been the athlete I am today, with the results I have been able to achieve if it wasn’t for them. But, more importantly, I would never have been the man I am today, sitting in this chair right now if it hadn’t been for them. So, I am so thankful, and I feel so privileged to have been on this journey with them and I have so much to thank them for.”

Braathen expressed gratitude for being able to start the new chapter in his ski racing career while remaining a close friend with his former Norwegian teammates: “That means the world.”

Dealing with criticism

“Critics are welcome,” Braathen also said Thursday. “Different opinions are healthy, and it causes discussions, and frankly, it causes progression.

“Critics and negative reactions are something that I have dealt with my entire career. Me and my father, we really had one strong theory in our methods of me attempting to becoming the best skier in the world: In order to become better than everyone else, you need to do things differently,” Braathen pointed out.

Brazilian dance

Braathen loves both people and being a showman. Many remember him dancing to salsa music in the Schladming night-slalom finish area in January 2023 while wearing the slalom World Cup red leader bib.

During a short film passionately portraying his Brazilian connection shown during Thursday’s news event, Braathen explained: “My dance began 23 years ago. I found its rhythm on the streets of São Paulo: futebol (soccer). This dance was about unity, love, freedom. And I brought it to the snow.”

However, Braathen expressed in the film that the frames of ski racing did not align with his personality: “This dance was fast, disciplined, world-class, exhausting…

The film showed him saying, “For the first time, I am happy; for the first time in years, I feel free,” during his retirement announcement in October 2023.

“You know what? You can only dance when you are free. It’s time to bring the dance home. Jeito Brasileiro (Brazilian way). To be who I am. Vamos dançar (let’s dance)!” Braathen commented during the film showing Brazilian soccer, Braathen doing trampoline stunts and dives, alpine ski racing and salsa dancing.

Full circle

“I was introduced to sports in the streets of São Paulo, playing with my neighbors, my family, my friends. I fell in love with sports over there,” Braathen said during the news event.

“To be able to come full circle and to be able to represent (Brazil) in a World Cup of a sport, it truly means a lot. To be able to bring the dance to the snow is what I’m seeking to do.”

The Brazilian Snow Sports Federation

The Brazilian Snow Sports Federation’s president, Anders Pettersson, said world-class ski racer Braathen is a crucial role model for the Brazilian snow sport athletes: “His presence will have many positive effects for the Brazilian athletes. We are looking forward to starting a big legacy in the future. This is an enormous opportunity, and it can really become a game changer for us.”

Pettersson presented the 35-year-old Brazilian Snow Sports Federation as a small but professional federation focusing on athletes.

“Since 1992, in the last nine Winter Olympics, we have had Brazilian alpine athletes competing at the Winter Olympic Games. Normally, one female and one male skier,” Pettersson shared.

Brazil also participated in the first World Championships in 1966 Portillo, Chile. “So, we have a long history of alpine participation,” the president of the Brazilian federation pointed out. The federation represents all snow sports in Brazil, including all FIS sports.

According to Pettersson, the Brazilian Snow Sports Federation will support Braathen by giving him “flexibility, all the support, give him space to develop, and fulfilling his dreams.”

Hopes to leave a legacy

“My biggest and my overall goal with being an athlete is to be able to leave a legacy behind me where I feel like I’ve been able to transcend sports by simply expressing who I am,” Braathen said Thursday. He pointed out that ski racing is an entertainment industry and that the racers are entertainers.

“The fact that I can ski 2/100 of a second faster than another athlete around some plastic gates set down a mountain simply does not change the world. But the story behind that achievement and those 2/100 of a second, they might actually change someone’s life. That might be the inspiration that makes a kid go for his dreams. So, if I can just make one kid go for that dream, even if he doesn’t feel wanted or welcomed in an environment, then I’ve done what I came for.”

Related article:

You can read more about young Lucas Braathen’s ski club experiences here.