In a surprise move, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde announced that he will start at the Super-G World Cup in Copper Mountain, Colorado, tomorrow, November 28. The Norwegian ski racer had initially planned to make the World Cup races at Beaver Creek, Colorado, his comeback event, and had even shared a countdown from 100 days out on his social media channels, but has now decided to scrap the counter and jump ahead by nine days.
“So, here I am again, two years later, and starting tomorrow. It’s going to be pretty cool! I’m excited,” the Norwegian speed specialist shared on social media. “Two years feels like a lifetime,” the racer had admitted in the past.
During the Atomic Media Day, Kilde had first announced his intention to make his comeback on the Birds of Prey course—Kilde’s favorite racecourse—but had cautiously left the door open to compete at Copper, which is hosting a Super-G and Giant Slalom a week before Beaver Creek. “I know [Copper Mountain], and it’s a Super-G, and it’s not the toughest Super-G, so it’s the first time I will push for 100%.”
Kilde had suffered a devastating crash on the famous Lauberhorn course in Wengen, Switzerland, in January 2024. The crash left Kilde with a severe laceration to his leg and a complicated dislocation of his left shoulder, which severed ligaments and caused extensive damage to the athlete’s rotator cuff. His shoulder injuries initially healed well, but he was later plagued with continued infections and sepsis, resulting in repeat surgeries and prolonged recovery for the Norwegian athlete, resulting in a 22-month absence from the World Cup. Kilde has been one of the most dominant speed men on the World Cup circuit, securing the 2022-23 Downhill Crystal Globe and leading the standings in the 2023-24 season prior to his crash.
“Alright, guys, things have come together better than expected. We’re ditching the 100-day countdown and going straight to T-1.”
— Aleksander Aaamodt Kilde
Copper is hosting its first World Cup race in more than two decades, with both men’s and women’s races on Thanksgiving Weekend from November 27-30, after Killington, Vermont, became unable to host. Copper’s high elevation and north-facing slope aspect make it the ideal venue for early-season race conditions in November. The racing weekend on Thanksgiving Weekend will consist of a men’s Super-G on Thursday, November 27, a men’s Giant Slalom on Friday, November 28, a women’s Giant Slalom on Saturday, November 29, and a women’s Slalom on Sunday, November 30. Aside from the World Cup Finals, it is the only World Cup event where Kilde and his fiancée Mikaela Shiffrin will be at the same venue at the same time.
All races for the Stifel Copper Cup weekend take place in East Village and are free to attend. For an elevated experience, visitors can get VIP passes or grandstand tickets to enjoy the best views and experience.
