Pinheiro Braathen wins slalom to give Brazil its first Alpine skiing World Cup victory

By Canadian Press on November 16, 2025.

LEVI, Finland (AP) — Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won a men’s World Cup slalom Sunday to give Brazil its first-ever victory in a top-level ski race less than three months before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

Pinheiro Braathen held on to his commanding first-run lead to beat 2022 Olympic champion Clement Noel of France by 0.31 seconds. Finnish racer Eduard Hallberg was 0.57 back in third for his first career World Cup podium.

After finishing, Pinheiro Braathen clicked out of his skis, fell to his knees and screamed “yeah” with both arms in the air.

“It represents who I am, I think,” Pinheiro Braathen said. “I am trying to do it my way, trying to ski with my heart, trying to ski for myself instead of for others.”

It was Pinheiro Braathen’s sixth career victory, but first since he started to compete for Brazil last year after leaving the Norwegian ski federation.

A tech specialist who debuted on the World Cup in 2018, Pinheiro Braathen won five races before clinching the season-long slalom title in 2022-23.

He then fell out with the Norwegian ski federation over his personal marketing rights, took a year-long break from the sport and returned last season competing for Brazil, his mother’s native country.

The first skier for the country on Alpine skiing’s World Cup circuit since 2016, Pinheiro Braathen racked up five podium results before Sunday’s win.

“This is a victory for myself, it’s a victory for my friends, it’s a victory for my family, it’s for Brazil, and it’s for individuality,” Pinheiro Braathen said.

In an interview with The Associated Press in September, Pinheiro Braathen said his first win for Brazil “will come, and it’s coming soon.”

His next goal might be to give Brazil its first-ever medal at the Olympics or world championships in Alpine skiing.

In the first run, Pinheiro Braathen finished 0.41 seconds ahead of Noel.

“I had a good feeling. I had a plan and a strategy, and I followed that. I know when I follow my plan, I have a lot of potential,” Pinheiro Braathen said after the opening run.

Skiing great Marcel Hirscher, who also switched federations before making a comeback last year, sat out Sunday’s race and postponed his return from injury until January.

After winning a record eight overall titles for Austria, Hirscher retired in 2019 but returned to the circuit for the Netherlands, his mother’s native country.

Hirscher’s comeback season was cut short after three races when he injured his knee in slalom training in early December.

The World Cup continues with another slalom in Gurgl, Austria next Saturday.

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AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

The Associated Press