Aleksander Aamodt Kilde to miss 2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season after new surgery
The two-time Olympic medallist and 2020 overall World Cup winner will be sidelined for the entire alpine skiing season to undergo another shoulder surgery.
Alpine Skiing
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde will miss the entire 2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season following an injury-ridden year.
The Norwegian alpine skier suffered a bad crash in January at the World Cup event in Wengen, Switzerland, leaving him sidelined for months and needing to undergo surgery.
He had been back on the slopes in training and working towards a comeback for the new season.
However, an injury setback means that the two-time Olympic medallist must undergo another surgery on his shoulder and will not be ready for the upcoming campaign.
Kilde said in a statement, ‘‘After my crash in Wengen and some tough weeks, things started to get better, and by June, I was even skiing again in Oslo. Unfortunately, in July, I developed a shoulder infection that caused some complications. After 10 weeks of antibiotics, I now need another surgery to fully fix the shoulder."
In a video shared on Instagram, the 2019/20 overall World Cup winner revealed how the last couple of months have been challenging, both physically and mentally: "I was asking myself, am I going to be able to really use my shoulder ever again?," the 32-year-old admitted.
Kilde added that he will need four months of rehab after surgery before he can start training again, ruling out the possibility of competing: "There's not going any racing for me this season," he said.
‘‘This unfortunately means I won’t be competing this winter, but I’m fully committed to my rehab and working towards a strong comeback. Thanks for all your support during this time.’’
Kilde, who was the overall World Cup winner in 2020, will now set his sights on the 2025/26 season and returning to competitive skiing fully healed and ready to compete.
Trond Floberghagen, Norwegian alpine national team doctor, said, ‘‘After a challenging injury break, Aleksander is now well-prepared and motivated for a new rehabilitation process, and we expect him to be back at the starting line next season.’’
Kilde won two medals at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, taking men’s alpine combined silver and a bronze medal in the men’s super-G event.
The Lommedalen skier has already undergone several surgical operations in 2024, including to a deep cut in his calf and for a problem with his shoulder.