Meet ski phenom Lara Colturi, the youngest World Cup debutant since Mikaela Shiffrin: "Everyone has their own journey"
At the age of 15, the daughter of Olympic champion Daniela Ceccarelli is ready to make her first appearance in alpine skiing’s elite competition this weekend in Sölden, Austria: “I don’t have expectations, I just hope to have fun,” said the first female skier representing Albania in a World Cup event.
Alpine Skiing
Mikaela Shiffrin, Lara Gut-Behrami, and Janica Kostelic are all alpine skiing Olympic champions and winners of the big crystal globe.
The trio have something else in common: they all made their World Cup debut in their mid-teenage years.
On Saturday (22 October) Lara Colturi is set to go one better than them, at least in terms of age, making her first appearance in the sport’s premiere competition at the age of 15 years, 11 months and 9 days.
“I’ve been following the World Cup for some time because skiing is quite a big thing in my family,” the 15-year-old told Olympics.com ahead of the 2022/23 season opener in Sölden, Austria.
Colturi is the daughter of Salt Lake City 2002 Super G gold medallist of Italy Daniela Ceccarelli, who is also her coach. Her father Alessandro is a ski instructor.
“My debut comes very soon, it’s true, but I’ve trained a lot for this and I just hope to have fun.”
In 1998, a 16-year-old Kostelic, racing for only the fourth time in the alpine elite series, finished 12th in her Giant Slalom debut on the Rettenbach glacier slopes.
“The race in Sölden is special for me,” admits Colturi, who had impressive career in the U14 and U16 categories, winning several Italian titles along the way.
“I’ve been there many times and I did some practice runs with other skiers. I think I’ll be excited for sure, but I don’t have any particular expectations in terms of results, we have to be realistic.”
READ: 2022/2023 FIS alpine ski World Cup season: Preview, schedule, and stars to watch
In the footsteps of Mikaela Shiffrin
Colturi will be the youngest World Cup debutant in the last 47 years.
The record belongs to Germany's Regine Mösenlechner, who was 14 years, 9 months, and 3 days in her first race on 4 January 1975, when she finished seventh at her home slalom in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Shiffrin made her debut on 11 March 2011 in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, just two days before turning 16 and didn’t manage to qualify for the second run.
“I am not thinking too much about my age, and I prefer to avoid comparisons with her or other important skiers,” Colturi said.
“Everyone has its own journey, but I think making a World Cup debut at such a young age could represent a great opportunity to gain experience.”
However the teenager, who used to juggle skiing and figure skating until she was 13, reveals having a soft spot for the American:
“Since I was a kid I’ve always admired Shiffrin. She has almost reached the perfection in the sport, and I say almost because being perfect is impossible. I can say she’s always been my idol, but I also admired Lindsey Vonn and, in the men’s field, Marcel Hirscher.”
"She's got pretty solid skiing, pretty solid style, lots of speed, and that kind of instinct: she knows how to find the bottom of the mountain," - Mikaela Shiffrin about Lara Colturi to German broadcaster Sport 1
Skiing pioneer for Albania
Her precocious World Cup debut is not the only talking point about talented ski sensation Colturi.
In May, the Italy-born teenager raised some eyebrows in her country when she decided to take Albanian nationality and represent the federation based in Tirana.
In Sölden, she will be the first female skier to ever represent the Balkan nation in the alpine top-tier competition (four-time Winter Olympian Erjon Tola reached this milestone for men in 2013).
“I think skiing is an individual sport, not a team sport like the football national team, in that case it would be different” Colturi explained.
Under the Albanian flag she won 6 races during this years South American Cup across Chile and Argentina to claim the overall title and collect the points she needed to make it to the FIS World Cup circuit.
“For me it’s a fantastic opportunity to continue to be trained by my family, my mum and my dad. They’ll be able to support me and follow my journey, and we are happy for that.”
“We’ve been treated very well, my mum has a technical role in a federation which is making improvements in winter sports.”
"My mum is my coach and best friend"
A ‘Speed Girl’, ‘Loving adventure on the cutting edge’ is how Lara introduces herself to her over 42 thousand followers on social media.
But how is she off the slopes?
"I would describe myself as a radiant and happy person," said the 15-year-old, who can turn into a ‘very determined’ competitor on the skis.
She also added that being 'calm' is another of her (many) assets, along with mum Daniela, whose role is key in her development:
“I can say mum is my coach and my best friend. We spend a lot of time training and traveling together. She gives me technical advice on my skiing but she also tells me to enjoy this sport and have fun.”
Born in 2006, Colturi will also be eligible for the Winter Youth Olympic Games 2024 in Gangwon, Korea, which will take place from 19 January to 1 February 2024.