Lucas Pinheiro Braathen stays with Atomic – and keeps shaping the gear he wins on

South America’s first Winter Olympic medalist extends his partnership with Atomic through 2030. At its core: a working relationship that goes far beyond the logo on his skis – right down to the development of his race equipment.

Altenmarkt im Pongau, 20 October 2026 – When Lucas Pinheiro Braathen crossed the finish line in Bormio on 14 February 2026, he did so on skis he had helped to develop: a Redster model that had touched snow for the first time only weeks earlier. The giant slalom gold at Milano Cortina was the first Winter Olympic medal ever won by an athlete from Brazil – and from South America. Six weeks later, he added the FIS World Cup giant slalom globe, finishing the 2025/26 season second overall. Today, Atomic and Pinheiro Braathen confirm that their partnership, which began in 2019, will continue through 2030.

A racer with his hands on his own equipment
‘What Atomic and I have goes beyond a sponsorship. I’ve been with Atomic since 2019, they’ve been with me through every chapter and I can be a part of how my equipment gets made. Staying felt natural’, says Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of the contract extension.

The 26-year-old is not an athlete who simply takes delivery of his race gear. During the 2023/24 season, when he was away from the race circuit, he spent many days with Atomic’s race department in Altenmarkt, helping to develop new skis and boots. At Atomic, development never stands still – and Pinheiro Braathen has been part of that process ever since, working closely with the brand’s R&D team.

‘I don’t just want to ski on the best equipment, I want to understand why it’s the best. In Altenmarkt I get to be in the room where that happens. That’s one of the reasons why I’m staying’, says Lucas Pinheiro Braathen.

In Altenmarkt, that input is highly valued. ‘Lucas gives feedback like an engineer and skis like an artist. Development never stops for us, and he has been part of it for years – right up to the skis he won gold on. That kind of input shapes what we build, not just for him’, says Christian Höflehner, Global Race Manager Alpine at Atomic.

An audience skiing doesn’t usually reach
With over a million followers across his channels, Pinheiro Braathen speaks to a generation that does not follow alpine skiing on TV – fans who know him through fashion, music and a celebration that has become his signature: “Vamos dançar”. His Olympic gold made headlines far beyond winter sports media, from Brazil to every corner of the world.

‘Lucas has shown that you can win at the very top of this sport and still do it entirely your own way. He brings new people and new perspectives into skiing. For Atomic, this is how skiing moves forward’, says Wolfgang Mayrhofer, President of Atomic.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen – key facts:

• Born 19 April 2000 in Oslo; has raced for Brazil since the 2024/25 season
• Olympic champion, giant slalom, Milano Cortina 2026 – first Winter Olympic medal for Brazil and South America
• FIS World Cup giant slalom globe 2025/26; 2nd in the overall World Cup 2025/26
• FIS World Cup slalom globe 2022/23
• 8 World Cup victories, 25 World Cup podiums
• With Atomic since 2019; partnership extended through 2030