They’re two of the fastest skiers on the planet, but off the slopes, Mikaela Shiffrin and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde have built an even stronger partnership rooted in mutual respect, shared passion, and unwavering support through the toughest moments.
The American record-breaker and the Norwegian speed king confirmed their relationship in May 2021 when Kilde posted a simple but telling photo with the caption: “If you know, you know… and now you know.” What started as a quiet romance between two elite athletes quickly blossomed into one of winter sports’ most beloved couples.
Both have dominated the World Cup circuit—Shiffrin as the most successful alpine skier in history and Kilde as the 2020 overall champion and a two-time Olympic medalist. Yet they insist the magic lies far beyond the racecourse. “I like her as a person more than anything else,” Kilde once said. “That she’s a skier is just a bonus.”
Their bond has been tested by fire. In 2022, when Shiffrin endured a heartbreaking Olympics with multiple DNFs, Kilde publicly defended her, writing that the world saw failure while he saw “a top athlete doing what a top athlete does.” Shiffrin called his words healing and later said she hopes everyone finds a partner who loves and understands them the way Kilde does her.
Two years later, the roles reversed. In January 2024, Kilde suffered a horrific crash in Wengen, dislocating his shoulder and slicing his calf. Shiffrin rushed to his side, and three months after the accident—on April 4, 2024—the couple announced their engagement with a joyful joint Instagram post featuring a stunning diamond ring set between two gold bands and the caption:
From red-carpet debuts at the ESPY Awards to sweaty gym sessions (where Kilde, nicknamed “the Arnold Schwarzenegger of skiing,” benches over 300 lbs and squats nearly 500) to quiet moments dancing in their living room, the pair make even the ordinary feel special.
Kilde, who grew up skiing the hills outside Oslo from age three, also balances his racing career with advocacy work as a brand ambassador for sustainable agriculture, often highlighting climate change’s threat to winter sports.
As Shiffrin chases more history and Kilde continues his long recovery with yet another shoulder surgery behind him, one thing remains clear: whatever the mountain throws at them next, they’ll face it together—two world-class athletes who prove that the greatest victories often happen far from the finish line.
