Each year, there is a shuffle of ski racers from one ski manufacturer to another. While some athletes stay with one sponsor for years or even decades—Mikaela Shiffrin has been equipped by Atomic for her entire career—others change more frequently.
As athletes fine-tune every advantage before the Olympic season, several elite skiers have changed ski brands in the hope of gaining a competitive edge. Here are some of the key equipment changes ahead of the 2025-26 FIS Alpine World Cup season:
Marta Bassino → HEAD
Italian Super‑G star and 2023 World Champion in the discipline, Bassino left Salomon for HEAD, joining the likes of Lara Gut-Behrami or Lindsey Vonn. It’s a high-profile switch aimed at picking up momentum into the Milan‑Cortina Winter Games.
- Related: Revo Launches Limited Edition Marta Bassino Sunglasses in Collab with the Italian Ski Racer
AJ Ginnis → Van Deer–Red Bull
Greek‑American Slalom ace and 2023 World Championship silver medalist Ginnis ends his decades-long relationship with Fischer to race on Van Deer–Red Bull skis, founded by Marcel Hirscher in joint-venture with the energy-drink company.
Linus Straßer → HEAD
Germany’s Slalom specialist and 2025 World Championship bronze medalist Straßer departs Rossignol after nine years, citing HEAD’s service infrastructure and support during pre-season testing.
Katharina Truppe → Völkl
Austrian Slalom standout with multiple World Cup podiums and a difficult 2024-25 season. After two decades with Fischer, Truppe joins Völkl in search of renewed performance gains and with high hopes for the 2026 Olympics after narrowly missing out on an Olympic medal in 2022 when she placed fourth.
Jett Seymour → Atomic
American Slalom racer and two-time U.S. national champion Seymour shifts from life-long sponsor Fischer to join Atomic’s Redster team to align with top riders like Mikaela Shiffrin and Breezy Johnson.
Billy Major → HEAD
Major is Great Britain’s second-best Slalom skier behind Dave Ryding. He is an Olympic veteran and World Cup point-scorer and rejoins HEAD to reconnect with familiar gear and prepare for future title bids.
Raphael Haaser → Atomic
2025 Giant Slalom World Champion and Super-G Vice-Champion Haaser joins Atomic to sharpen his performance in his two events ahead of the 2026 Olympics in hope of winning an Olympic medal for team Austria.
Ricarda Haaser → Salomon
Sister of aforementioned Raphael, Haaser has announced an equipment change from Fischer to Salomon. Her end with Fischer came rather abruptly after a torn ligament in her right knee during the Super-G World Championships in Saalbach ended her season—thankfully, her brother defended the family and sponsor honor with two medals.
Max Franz → Van Deer–Red Bull
A seasoned Austrian speed racer, Franz returns from serious injury and two years rehabilitation to ski for team Van Deer–Red Bull, strengthening the team’s Downhill and Super‑G lineup.
Daniel Yule → Atomic
Swiss Slalom stalwart and multiple World Cup podium finisher over nearly two decades on Fischer. His switch to Atomic reflects a broader rebuilding effort ahead of Milano‑Cortina.
Joan Verdú → Van Deer–Red Bull
Representing Andorra, Verdú leaves HEAD to join Marcel Hirscher’s Van Deer–Red Bull’s stable which is quickly filling with Alpine stars, ready to challenge in technical events.
Katharina Huber → Völkl
Austrian technical specialist Huber has competed on the World Cup circuit since 2015 and was part of Austria’s gold medal-winning squad in the mixed team event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. After years with Fischer, Huber switches to Völkl ahead of the 2026 Winter Games.
In elite alpine skiing, brand loyalty isn’t just symbolic—it shapes training routines, course familiarity, and athlete confidence. Equipment changes ahead of an Olympic season are a bold move with only a short window to optimize tuning, snow feel, and consistency. Tech specialists will get a first opportunity to test the new material in October in Sölden.
