Now Braathen is back as a mature ski ambassador under the Brazilian flag and is claiming to change his sport. With him, the ski circus has once again gained another attraction. Not many 24-year-olds talk about how they want to change ski racing. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen lectures on this for minutes with impressive eloquence. Every now and then he throws in a supposed piece of wisdom or gives book tips. He is particularly fond of “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell, but especially “Range” by David Epstein. This book shows why generalists are successful in a specialized world. “The broader the spectrum of impressions and experiences in life, the better you can become in your niche or your specific job,” explains Braathen.
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Marcel Hirscher on Lucas Braathen: “I am impressed by his big decision”
Fashion designer and model on sabbatical
He collected enough impressions during his sabbatical year. Just an excerpt of his work: He designed fashion and modeled, heated people up as a DJ, immersed himself in the technology department of his supplier Atomic for months and dedicated himself to his young talent foundation. “It was a year in which I learned a lot about myself. It feels like a semester in the school of life.”
He made the decision to return to the World Cup in January. Together with his father, he built up a multinational, but above all top-class, team of supervisors. Mike Pircher, Marcel Hirscher’s ex-coach, and Kurt Kothbauer, most recently Marco Odermatt’s physio, are among them. As a 23-year-old, Braathen found hiring people with significantly more experience to be somewhat fun – and enriching, as he says. He took a guiding principle from Steve Jobs to heart. “He said, at Apple we don’t hire people to tell them what to do, we hire them to tell us what to do.”
“I want to make a difference in this sport”
Ultimately, his niche is skiing. “That’s what I realized. It’s like I have unfinished business in this industry. I want to make a difference in this sport. I believe there is room for big change. And I think it’s mine Responsibility to be that character.”
Braathen, who won five World Cup races in giant slalom and slalom, unexpectedly resigned in October 2023 after a dispute with the Norwegian association. He had advertised for a Swedish clothing brand that was not one of the Norwegians’ official suppliers. For him, this was an unacceptable infringement on personal rights. The dual citizen now represents Brazil, his mother’s country. The last samba dancer to date in the snow was Jhonatan Longhi, who tried in vain to get World Cup points between 2008 and 2016.
Explanatory bear in Brazil
Braathen has now given the Brazilian press a crash course. The memory of it – “Yes, you drive down a mountain at 140 kilometers per hour around plastic gates” – not only amuses him. The role of explanation bear makes him proud. “I’m representing the country in a sport where it isn’t represented yet. That’s really special.” It’s also special in terms of family. “For the first time, my grandma will understand what skiing is because she will see it on the TV screen.”
At the same time, the sports culture in Brazil is brutal. “In Brazil it’s all about winning. All or nothing.” But if there is a star, he or she will be applauded frenetically. His goal is therefore clear. “I want to be at the top again,” said Braathen. “I wouldn’t go back without the intention of being the best again.” The new Sölden testimonial now sees his work much more broadly. “I’m here to inspire people to dare to do what makes them the most happy.” In his case, he realized, it was skiing. “But to make a difference you have to be the best, you have to be extraordinary. Winning is extraordinary.”
