SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria — Making her debut at the Alpine skiing world championships, 22-year-old Lauren Macuga didn’t take long to make her presence felt. She clinched the bronze medal in the super-G event on Thursday, marking a spectacular start to her championship journey. After crossing the finish line, Macuga celebrated with a unique dance, raising her arms excitedly and bowing to the appreciative Austrian crowd.
Dancing celebrations have become quite popular in the skiing world recently, following Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen’s snow samba performance that celebrated Brazil’s first podium finish in December. Macuga acknowledged that she lacks Braathen’s dance skills but still enjoys showcasing her own quirky moves. “I was hoping to be on the podium today, but I wasn’t expecting it. So I was like, ‘OK, I got to do something here,’” she expressed.
Known for her vibrant bucket hats and outfits featuring American flag designs, the charismatic Macuga is gaining attention and adoration from fans. “It’s so important to show the fun side of skiing,” she said, emphasizing her ability to switch from lightheartedness to seriousness when needed.
She exhibited incredible speed, being the fastest skier in the upper section of the Ulli Maier course. Macuga soared nearly 30 yards off a jump just 30 seconds into her run, hitting a remarkable speed of 76 mph (122 kph). She ultimately tied for third place with Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, finishing 0.24 seconds behind race leader Stephanie Venier from Austria. “I felt like I was going fast. I came off that jump, I was like, ‘I’m flying, my gosh, you better keep moving,’” Macuga reflected on the exhilarating experience.
The day was also a significant one for the Macuga family, as all four siblings—three sisters and a brother—are elite skiers representing the U.S. Alli Macuga was competing in moguls back in Utah, Sam was ski jumping in Lake Placid, New York, and Daniel was engaged in Nor-Am Alpine skiing in Kimberley, British Columbia. Their parents, Amy and Dan, were meticulously tracking everyone’s progress, with Amy in Austria supporting Lauren and Dan at Deer Valley with Alli. “We’re kind of all over the place right now,” Lauren noted, remarking on their need to split up to support everyone.
All siblings have their sights set on being together in one place next year to compete in the Milan-Cortina Olympics, precisely a year ahead of the opening ceremony set for February 6, 2026.
As Lauren continues her breakout season, she has yet to secure a sponsor for her helmet, which currently features a question mark. “I’m trying to get a sponsor that wants a crazy person that loves bucket hats,” she quipped, maintaining her playful persona that harkens back to American skiing legend Julia Mancuso, who was known for celebrating victories by wearing a tiara.
Last month, Lauren secured her first World Cup victory in super-G at St. Anton, Austria. With her recent medal, she has achieved something even Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin didn’t—earning a medal in their very first race at major championships. Vonn’s first appearance at significant competitions in 2005 saw her finishing ninth in the super-G, while Shiffrin finished sixth in her debut slalom in 2013 before winning gold just two days later at the young age of 17.
Vonn was present to celebrate Macuga’s noteworthy performance, recalling a difficult moment when she got caught on a gate during her own run. She praised Macuga’s authentic spirit, “She’s a really free-spirited person and she’s got her own style — and I love it. She believes in herself and she works really, really hard. So she deserves it. And she’s just an amazing talent… This is just the beginning for her.” Vonn also remarked about the exceptional athletic prowess of the entire Macuga family, humorously asserting, “Something must run in the family.”
