Lucas Braathen Explained

Lucas Braathen
Full Name:Lucas Pinheiro Braathen
Country: (2016–2023)
(2024–)
Disciplines:Slalom, giant slalom
Club:Bærums Skiklub
Birth Date:19 April 2000
Birth Place:Oslo, Norway
Height:1.83 m
Wcdebut:8 December 2018 (age 18)
Olympicteams:1 – (2022)
Worldsteams:1 – (2023)
Wcseasons:5 – (20192023)
Wcwins:5 – (3 SL, 2 GS)
Wcpodiums:12 – (8 SL 4 GS)
Wcoveralls:0 – (4th in 2023)
Wctitles:1 – (SL2023)
Show-Medals:no

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (pronounced as /pt-BR/; born 19April 2000) is a Brazilian and Norwegian World Cup alpine ski racer. Until his retirement from World Cup racing inOctober 2023, he represented Norway in international competition. In March 2024, Braathen announced that he would return to ski racing, instead representing Brazil.

Early life

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen was born to a Norwegian father and Brazilian mother on 19 April 2000 in Oslo, Norway.[1] [2] Braathen's mother left Brazil after meeting his father.[3] When he was three years old, his parents separated and Braathen went to Brazil with his mother. When his father gained custody, Braathen moved back to Norway.[4] He grew up speaking Norwegian and Portuguese.[5] Beginning when he was 11 years old, Braathen visited Brazil every year.

Braathen first skied when he was three or four years old, but he did not start skiing again until he was nine years old. His father, Bjørn, planned his skiing career.[6] Braathen also played soccer as a child, though he preferred skiing as it is an individual sport.[7]

Career

From Hokksund, Braathen raced for Norwegian club Bærums SK.[8] At the Junior World Championships in 2019, Braathen finished fourth and eleventh, followed by a silver medal in super-G, and a bronze medal in the combined event. He made his World Cup debut in December 2018 in Val d'Isere, and collected his first points (five) with a 26th-place finish.

Braathen recorded his first victory (and podium) in October 2020 at the season opener, a giant slalom in Sölden. In 2022, he won his first slalom at the Lauberhorn race in Wengen, going from 29th place after the first run to first place after the second run, the largest jump to victory at that time.[9] He announced his retirement from World Cup racing on 27October 2023, a day before the new season's opening event in Sölden, Austria.[10] On 7March 2024, he announced that he would return, racing for Brazil.[11]

World Cup results

Season standings

Season Age Overall Slalom Giant
slalom
Super-G Downhill CombinedParallel
18
1910
20rowspan=3 18
21944
224bgcolor=gold1739

Race podiums

Season DateLocationDisciplinePlace
2021align=right bgcolor="FFF2AE"18 October 2020 Sölden, Austria Giant slalom1st
2022align=right bgcolor="#FFF2AE"16 January 2022 Wengen, SwitzerlandSlalom1st
 Kitzbühel, AustriaSlalom 2nd
12 March 2022  Kranjska Gora, SloveniaGiant slalom2nd
19 March 2022 Courchevel, France Giant slalom 2nd
2023align=right bgcolor="#FFF2AE"11 December 2022  Val d'Isère, FranceSlalom 1st
align=right bgcolor="#FFF2AE" 18 December 2022  Alta Badia, Italy Giant slalom 1st
align=right bgcolor="#FFF2AE"8 January 2023  Adelboden, SwitzerlandSlalom 1st
align=right 15 January 2023 Wengen, SwitzerlandSlalom3rd
Kitzbühel, AustriaSlalom 3rd
Schladming, AustriaSlalom3rd
Soldeu, Andorra Slalom2nd

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024-03-08 . For Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, the sky is the limit . 2024-04-13 . Red Bull . en.
  2. Web site: BRAATHEN Lucas - Athlete Information . 2024-04-13 . www.fis-ski.com.
  3. Web site: 2020-12-09 . Five things you didn't know about alpine ski prodigy Lucas Braathen . International Olympic Committee.
  4. Web site: 2024-03-08 . For Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, the sky is the limit . 2024-04-13 . Red Bull . en.
  5. Web site: Karlson Nielsen . Marthe . 2023-10-27 . Lucas Braathen: - Var en «misfit» . 2024-04-13 . Se og Hør . no.
  6. Web site: 2020-01-26 . Han er halvt brasiliansk og skulle bli fotballproff. Så la pappa en plan. . 2024-04-13 . www.aftenposten.no . nb.
  7. Web site: 2020-10-14 . Lucas Braathen on learning from legends, giving up on football, and comparisons with Erling Haaland . 2024-04-13 . Eurosport . en.
  8. Web site: 2019-10-27 . Da de norske profilene sviktet, ble en ukjent 19-åring redningen: – En helt uvirkelig følelse . 2024-04-13 . www.aftenposten.no . nb.
  9. Web site: Braathen stuns field to win Wengen slalom. 16 January 2022.
  10. Web site: 27 October 2023 . Lucas Braathen announces retirement .
  11. Web site: Fixiert: Lucas Braathen fährt künftig für Brasilien . 2024-03-07 . DER STANDARD . de-AT.