Inside the Mind of a Speed Skier
After a devastating crash in Val d’Isère that led to seven surgeries and nearly two years away from full-speed downhill racing, Stef Fleckenstein returned this season and won the NorAm downhill overall title, securing a World Cup start spot for 2026/27.
Speed is where control, courage, and commitment all meet at 70+ miles per hour.
We spoke with her about what it takes to ski at that speed, how athletes learn to manage fear and risk, and what younger athletes and parents can learn about stepping into the world of speed.
Why Some Athletes Are Built for Speed
“I always loved slalom, and GS was always a bit more of a grind for me. Then at World Juniors one year they put me into the downhill, and I didn’t overthink it. I just went for it.
I remember coming out of it thinking, ‘that was actually really fun.’ The jumping stood out immediately. I’ve always had really good body awareness in the air, so that part felt almost natural right away.
And what surprised me most was how it felt mentally. You’d think skiing downhill would feel chaotic, but instead everything kind of slows down in your head. You’re moving so fast, but there’s this calm that comes with it. That’s what made me realize I wanted to commit to it."
“Because there’s only one run, it’s more of an all-or-nothing mindset.
You really have to trust your inspection, trust your training, and trust all the work you’ve done leading up to race day. You have to believe you’ve prepared yourself well enough for that minute and a half or two minutes.
With tech, there’s a little more room tactically because there are two runs.”
What People Get Wrong About Speed Skiing
“You actually have to be a technically strong skier in order to not just obliterate yourself on every turn.
A downhill isn’t a straight line from top to bottom. You still have to make really clean turns, but you’re doing it at way higher speeds and with way bigger forces.”
“I think it's how you carry speed.
It’s one thing to make speed on a pitch, but at the end of the day you have to maintain that speed onto flats and through terrain. You can’t constantly be generating speed. The best skiers know how to carry it.”
“I look for where the hill naturally wants to take you.
A lot of times they use the terrain to guide the course, so I’m looking for where I can use the hill to gain speed or maintain speed.
And honestly, the start and finish are huge. A lot of people lose focus there, but you can absolutely win or lose races in those sections.”
The Difference Between Confidence and Recklessness
“Yes. I think everyone feels fear.
For me, managing fear is about controlling the things I can control. Trusting my training, trusting my inspection, and trusting all the work I’ve put in beforehand.”
“I think risk in downhill is understanding the difference between pushing yourself and just being reckless.
There’s always risk involved, but the goal is to minimize unnecessary risk through preparation, tactics, and good decision making.”
“When you’re confident, things just flow together.
Even if you’re making little recoveries or slightly sketchy movements, they still feel smooth and balanced. You can see that with skiers like Marco Odermatt or Emma Aicher. They’re still pushing the limit, but they stay smooth on their skis.”
“I think you have to be honest with yourself.
You can train yourself to ski faster and become technically better, but if you don’t truly believe the risk is worth it or you don’t believe you can push yourself when needed, then speed might not be the right discipline for you.”
Coming Back From a Career-Threatening Crash
“I had done some GS training and sections of speed courses, but nothing compares to actually running a full downhill at speed. I couldn’t remember what jumps or compressions would feel like until I actually experienced them again.
Rebuilding that trust in my mind and body took a lot of time."
“I took it really slow.
I started doing shorter sections of courses wearing extra protection. It wasn’t all-or-nothing. There were a lot of baby steps along the way.”
“Yeah definitely. Once some of the fear started to fade and I was back in my element, I remembered why I loved it so much.
It also helped reminding myself that this wasn’t new for me. I had done thousands of downhill runs before my injury. Even though it had been a long time, those instincts and that confidence were still there.
Little by little, each run started to feel more natural again.”
Building Speed Skiers the Right Way
“I think athletes should build really strong technical fundamentals first.
You need good movement patterns, tactical understanding, and body awareness before trying to prioritize pure speed.”
“I think the biggest thing is giving athletes the right resources.
That means proper physical training, mental training, and helping them actually understand what speed racing is.
Good coaches help athletes understand tactics and decision making, not just how to go fast. A huge part of speed is learning when to push and when to stay patient.”
“I think it’s completely normal for parents to feel nervous watching their kid ski downhill. It’s a fast, high-commitment discipline, and it can look intense from the outside.
But it’s important not to let that fear get passed on to the athlete. Kids pick up on that energy.
When speed is developed the right way, it’s built on strong fundamentals, good coaching, and learning to make smart decisions at speed. The goal is always to build confidence and control, not just take unnecessary risk.”
Why Athletes Keep Coming Back to Speed
“I think skiing fast now means appreciating all the emotions that come with it. The adrenaline, the fear, the excitement, and all the work that goes into it.”
“Because it’s freaking fun.
There are so few people who get to experience that level of adrenaline and freedom all at once. That’s what makes speed so special.”
“Be honest with yourself.
Ask yourself if this is really something you’re confident and comfortable doing. If the answer is yes, then trust the process and commit to it. And enjoy the ride."
WHAT MAKES IT WORTH IT
Talking with Stef makes one thing clear: skiing speed is about far more than fearlessness. The best downhill and Super G athletes are technically strong, tactically smart, and deeply committed to the process behind going fast.
For younger athletes, confidence isn’t something you arrive at. It’s something you build. Through preparation, repetition, trust, and experience, one run at a time.
And even with all the risk and uncertainty, Stef comes back to one simple truth: "There is nothing else like it."