SOELDEN, Austria — Norwegian skiing sensation Aleksander Aamodt Kilde has announced that he will be sidelined for the entire 2024-25 season due to an injury to his left shoulder that necessitates another surgical procedure. This news comes nine months after he endured a severe fall during a downhill event in Switzerland.
In a statement released by the Norwegian ski federation on Wednesday, Kilde expressed his disappointment, stating, “I require another surgery to completely address the shoulder issue. Unfortunately, this means I will not participate in any competitions this winter.” At 32 years of age, Kilde is a two-time Olympic medalist with an impressive record of 21 World Cup victories. His earlier injury treatment included surgery for a significant cut and nerve damage to his right calf and repairs for two torn ligaments in his shoulder after a dramatic crash near the end of a downhill race in Wengen last January.
After returning to skiing in June, Kilde faced further challenges when an infection in his shoulder created complications the following month. “After 10 weeks of antibiotics, I now require another surgical procedure,” he noted. His unfortunate experience mirrors that of many champions in the sport, including his fiancée Mikaela Shiffrin, who also faced a serious crash during the intense mid-season schedule. The American skiing star suffered a left knee injury after her tumble on the 2026 Olympic downhill course in Cortina d’Ampezzo but remarkably made a comeback to competition just six weeks later.
“I am dedicated to my rehabilitation and am focused on making a strong comeback,” Kilde asserted, demonstrating his commitment to returning to the slopes.
The World Cup season is set to kick off this weekend with two giant slalom races in Soelden, Austria, featuring women’s races on Saturday and men’s events on Sunday. The season also features the world championships taking place in Austria in February, promising an exciting winter for the sport, even as Kilde is forced to sit it out this time around.