Federica Brignone: The Most Beautiful Smile Since Her Return to Skiing

Federica Brignone had everyone on the edge of their seats a few months ago when she said she still didn’t know if she would be able to return to the slopes this season. Last February, the champion from Valle d’Aosta had won two incredible Olympic gold medals after recovering from a serious injury, but she then ended her season early.

Back to training on the Cervinia glacier with her brother and coach Davide, the Italian star put on her skis for the first time and felt great, as she shared in a video message released by FISI on Thursday.

“Today is my first day on the snow in a very long time—almost six months. It was great and fun to be back with the girls and the team, gliding a bit on the snow. I’m very happy; I missed it so much,” said Brignone.

Here is FISI’s statement: “It was the first time on the slopes for the two-time Olympic champion in super-G and giant slalom, who simply got a taste of the snow on open terrain after ending last season early following the World Cup stop in Soldeu. Since then, “just” 151 days have passed—nothing compared to the 292 days that followed her return at the end of last January in the Kronplatz giant slalom after her surgery on April 3, 2025. During this time, Federica has focused on her physical recovery, paying close attention to the signals from her left knee—a knee that will inevitably shape her immediate future as both an athlete and a woman. Having resumed physical activity a few weeks ago under the close supervision of the national team staff, the time has come to put on her skis again and take stock of the situation, before embarking on the long transatlantic journey to Ushuaia, where Brignone will travel at the end of August to complete exactly one month of training on winter snow—a necessary step to assess her health, even before her technical condition—in preparation for what will be a new season packed with World Cup events and the World Championships in Crans-Montana in February.”