The 2024-2025 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is in full swing! After the slalom opener in Levi, it’s time to shift gears to Austria’s Gurgl, where the slopes will light up on November 24 with another high-octane skiing race. The race for the Crystal Globes? Wide open! Mikaela Shiffrin leads the women’s standings, but the margins are razor-thin, and the men’s side is equally tight—it’s anyone’s game.

And here’s a curveball for you: Porsche, the German luxury car giant, just made a splash in the skiing world, teaming up with a 4x Olympic medalist to shake things up. Skiing meets sleek sports cars—how cool is that?

On November 18, the ski racing equipment manufacturer, HEAD Ski, shared an update about releasing a free ride ski. But here comes the twist. The $2,425 product brought two beautiful minds to the same place to shape it. The first one is Michael Mauer, vice president (Style Porsche AG), and Aksel Lund Svindal, the former World Cup downhill champion. But how did these two gentlemen come in touch with each other and start the project? The answers lie in the shared YouTube video.

The video spotlights Svindal and Mauer teaming up to infuse Porsche’s automobile DNA into ski equipment, with scenes taking us inside Head’s warehouse in Kennelbach and the Porsche Design Studio in Weissach. The result? The Porsche Head 106 Series Freeride Ski—TIME: OUT. But the big questions remain: how and when did this dream come to life? Svindal spills the details in the YouTube video, saying, “Since the powder days Mikael and I spent together, an idea we came up with never left our minds—The imagination to craft our own freeride ski. Two years ago, we were just starting. We met to discuss how we can turn this idea into reality.”

Nonetheless, the effort to make the planning work needed to be extraordinary. Fortunately, both brands possess that ability. Mauer presents a quick insight to keep things simple. In the YouTube video, he said, “It’s like in the automotive world. The broad test of prototypes with different layouts, materials, and shapes was key for making the product development a success.” In the meantime, the former Olympic champion shared his note: “The team was fantastic. Last year, we went through the highs and the lows together.” This camaraderie remained the mainstay behind the success. And folks, both Aksel Lund Svindal and Michael Mauer planned everything together. 

They even tried the freeride skiing equipment together on the slopes to test its ability. However, in the end, the result was phenomenal for them. The 41-year-old Alpine ski racing legend explained it by saying, “Now, two years after talking for the first time about the idea to now finally have it done. Crazy. What a day.” Mauer, on the other hand, discovered the presence of love after riding over it. 

In the video, the designing head lays out, “The ski works, the design is great and we both love details. And we did not miss the opportunity to live out our love for details.” Therefore, the unusual coming together of two brands in skiing has resulted in something memorable. But is there any such example in the snow sport? 

The Skiing World Cup has had the touch of another automobile giant 

Porsche isn’t the only German automobile manufacturer making inroads in the snow sport of alpine skiing. The brand has Audi to share the space. Rather, the 115-year-old Volkswagen subsidiary has been keeping an honorable presence for decades. How? Since 2002, Audi has been a key sponsor in hosting the Alpine Ski World Cup’s venues. Apart from that, the manufacturer has several other roles to magnify its presence in the sport. 

One example is offering direct assistance to the German Ski Association (DSV). Want to know how? Coming from German roots, Audi has showcased its major responsibility to make skiing popular in the snow-filled region. This desire drove the company to assist the DSV in organizing events and maintaining the slopes. But not just DSV; Audi has watered its bonding with the Hahnenkamm Races in Kitzbühel. 

Every winter, the Austrian town of Kitzbühel sets the stage for snow sports magic and skiing, earning its spot on the Alpine Ski World Cup calendar as a breathtaking venue. Known for hosting Super-G, Downhill, and Slalom events every January, this season’s action on January 28 and 29 promises to deliver the same thrills.

Of course, Audi will once again steal the spotlight as the event’s long-standing sponsor, thanks to their partnership with the International Ski Federation (FIS). With Audi carrying the torch, the skiing tradition lives on—now, isn’t that just pure winter magic? What’s your take? Drop a comment below!