Norwegian skiing star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde returned to World Cup competition on Friday in an emotional comeback, nearly two years after a horrific crash threatened to end his career. His fiancée, American alpine legend Mikaela Shiffrin, was in tears at the finish line as Kilde completed his first race since January 2024.
The 33-year-old speed specialist suffered life-altering injuries during a high-speed crash in the Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen, Switzerland, last season. Traveling at around 90 mph (145 km/h), Kilde lost control, flew through safety netting, and sustained a deep laceration to his calf with nerve damage, a dislocated shoulder with multiple torn ligaments, and later a serious shoulder infection that progressed to sepsis.
In the months that followed, Kilde underwent more than six surgeries and a grueling rehabilitation process. At one point, doctors feared permanent damage to his calf and shoulder mobility.
Despite the setbacks, Kilde never gave up on his dream of returning to the top level, with his sights set on the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics. After strong training performances in recent weeks, he opted to make his comeback in the super-G at Copper Mountain rather than waiting for next week’s races in Beaver Creek.
Standing in the starting gate for the first time in 683 days, Kilde admitted to feeling nervous. Once the gate dropped, however, he skied a controlled and confident run, crossing the line in 24th place – just 1.25 seconds behind dominant winner Marco Odermatt of Switzerland.
“For me, just being at the start today was a victory,” an elated Kilde said after the race. “Finishing the run without any major issues feels incredible.”
At the bottom of the course, Shiffrin – a five-time overall World Cup champion – rushed to embrace her fiancé, visibly overcome with emotion as the couple shared a long hug amid cheers from the crowd.
Kilde’s return marks one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent alpine skiing history and serves as an inspiring reminder of resilience in the face of severe adversity. The Norwegian now looks ahead to building form throughout the season as he and Shiffrin both chase success on the road to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
