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Who is Lucas Pinheiro Braathen

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen was born in Oslo, Norway, to a Brazilian mother and a Norwegian father. He was introduced to alpine skiing by his father at the age of eight, later than most professional skiers. Despite the late start, Pinheiro Braathen’s talent was first recognized at the Norwegian national championships in 2018, where he finished second. The success earned him a place in the national team and in his World Cup debut, he scored his first points.

Growing Up in a Duality of Cultures

From playing football with the neighbourhood kids in Brazil to hitting the ski slopes in Norway, Pinheiro Braathen’s childhood unfolded between two contrasting cultures. This unique upbringing helped shape the bold self-expression that would later define his colorful and extravagant personality, both on and off the slopes. A true crowd-pleaser by heart, Pinheiro Braathen always finds a way to embody his motto, ‘Your difference is your superpower,’ whether by painting his nails in rainbow colors, appearing on covers for fashion magazines, wearing skirts, or dancing salsa at the finish line.

Alpine Skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen
Image credit: Red Bull

Lucase Pinheiro Braathen announces retirement from professional alpine skiing

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen Announces Retirement from Professional Alpine Skiing
Image credit: AP Photo

The Conflict with the Norwegian Ski Federation

The natural freedom he embodies, however, did not align with the values of the Norwegian Ski Federation. In contrast to the sponsorship freedom of other individual sports, such as tennis, alpine skiing athletes face greater restrictions on personal sponsorships, as national federations exercise more control over athletes. The Norwegian Ski Federation (NSF) is known for its conservative approach to its athletes’ commercial image. The federation’s ownership over sponsorship and photography rights prevented Pinheiro Braathen from expressing his more extravagant image, which led to years of fighting for his and his teammates’ freedom. The conflict peaked when he participated in an advertising campaign for the Swedish fashion brand J.Lindberg and was subsequently fined by NSF due to the federation’s exclusive sponsorship agreement with Norwegian clothing brand Helly Hansen. 

Pinheiro Braathen was not the only Norwegian skier to be deprived of sponsorship rights by NSF. Another Norwegian superstar and Red Bull-sponsored athlete, Henrik Kristoffersen, even sued the federation because he was denied the right to display the Red Bull logo on his helmet due to the federation’s contract with the telecommunications company Telenor. At the press conference retirement announcement, Pinheiro Braathen cited the lack of room for individuality in NSF as the main reason for his decision, saying, “For the first time in years, I feel free again”.

Comeback for Brazil

Freed from expectations, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen used the time away from the sport for self-discovery. He traveled around the world, DJed parties, and even made his runway debut at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Watching the World Cup races through the TV screen, Pinheiro Braathen missed the thrill of performing on the slope. He needed the big stage. He needed to entertain. He needed to leave a better legacy, to use the spotlight to make a difference. 

Five months after his retirement, at a Red Bull-organized press conference, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen announced his return to alpine skiing, this time representing Brazil, the homeland of his mother and the country he says “has shaped me to become the person who I am, the athlete that I am.” The stars finally aligned for him. He would establish a cultural symbiosis by blending the colorful personality he shaped in Brazil with the passion for skiing he found in Norway. With the autonomy and creative freedom he achieved as an athlete of the Brazilian Snow Sports Federation, Pinheiro Braathen was able to manage his own personal sponsorships and became a global ambassador for the luxury fashion brand Moncler Grenoble. In collaboration with the brand, he also designed his own race suit, merging his passion for fashion with his love for skiing.

Pinheiro Braathen's Comeback, Representing Brazil

Pinheiro Braathen’s Comeback, Representing Brazil
Image credit: Red Bull

Pinheiro Braathen’s Victory in Levi, First World Cup Win for Brazil
Image credit: Roni Rekomaa

Coming back after a year of absence is challenging, as skiers lose FIS points, which determine their start number for the first run, and with that, the conditions of the slope. In the season opener in Soelden, Pinheiro Braathen started with BIB number 41. Despite the disadvantages of a later start and a choppy slope, he finished 19th on the first run and climbed 15 positions in the second run to finish 4th. A few weeks later, and in only his fourth competition back, he finished second at the giant slalom World Cup in Beaver Creek. True to himself, Pinheiro Braathen celebrated the triumph with a samba dance during the award ceremony. 

In the first slalom World Cup of the 2025/2026 season in Levi, he claimed the first-ever World Cup victory for Brazil. The only title still missing for Brazil in the world of skiing was an Olympic medal.

Olympic Glory

Right from stepping onto the Olympic stage at the opening ceremony, the Brazilian team, led by Lucas Pinheiro Braathen as flagbearer, made the headlines of fashion magazines. The uniforms were designed by Moncler and featured white puffer jackets, puffer Bermuda shorts, and puffer caps lined with the Brazilian flag on the interior. 

Representing 200 million Brazilians, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen turned the pressure at the starting gate into pride. On 14 February, he won gold in the giant slalom and made history by winning the first Winter Olympic medal not only for Brazil but for the entire South American continent. 

Olympics Opening Ceremony Image credit: Reuters

Olympics Opening Ceremony
Image credit: Keystone

If this gold medal represents anything, let it represent the power of being yourself. Your difference is your superpower — believe in it

– Lucas Pinheiro Braathen –

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen didn’t just return to the world of alpine skiing to start winning again. He returned to pursue his own purpose and to leave a legacy as the athlete who stays true to who they are. By skiing for a country that does not have traditions in winter sports, Pinheiro Braathen hopes to bring diversity into the world of skiing and to inspire the next generation of skiers from all around the world to pursue their dreams. 

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