Tomorrow the ski racing world will hold its breath for one of the most eagerly awaited comebacks in recent memory.
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, the 33-year-old Norwegian speed king, will pin on a race bib for the first time in 685 days when he lines up for Thursday’s season-opening men’s super-G at the Stifel Copper Cup – exactly 22 months after the horrific crash in Wengen that left him with a dislocated shoulder, deep lacerations, and severe nerve damage.
“After 685 days away since his injury, he’s finally ready to charge again and make us dream!” wrote Kilde’s team on social media alongside a fiery video of the two-time overall World Cup runner-up ripping high-speed turns in training this week. “Tomorrow is going to be special…”
The post instantly exploded across the ski community, racking up tens of thousands of likes in hours as fans, rivals, and even Olympic champions flooded the comments with messages of support.
Kilde’s last race was the Lauberhorn downhill on 13 January 2024. A week later, a near-fatal crash in the rescheduled downhill saw him airlifted to hospital and forced into the longest rehabilitation battle of his career. For months he could barely walk; skiing seemed a distant dream.
Yet the man who has 21 World Cup victories, an Olympic silver, and three World Championship golds refused to give up. Step by painful step – first crutches, then the gym, then snow in New Zealand last summer – he clawed his way back.
This week at Copper, the final pieces fell into place. Training footage shows the trademark Kilde aggression is still there: tucked, fearless, and blisteringly fast.
His return also carries extra emotion: fiancée Mikaela Shiffrin will be watching from the finish area before she contests her own races on Saturday and Sunday. The couple, who got engaged last spring, have supported each other through two of the darkest injury periods in modern ski racing.
“Seeing him ski like that again… I can’t even describe it,” Shiffrin said after watching Tuesday’s training run. “It’s been a long road, but he’s ready.”
Race director Emmanuel Couder confirmed Kilde will start with bib 16 in Thursday’s super-G – a number that instantly becomes the most watched on the entire hill.
From near-career-ending crash to World Cup start line in 685 days: tomorrow Aleksander Aamodt Kilde doesn’t just race again.
He reminds the entire sport why he’s one of its brightest stars.
Welcome back, Kilde. The mountain is ready. 🔥🇳🇴
