VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports FUTURE TEAM

What makes people successful in alpine ski racing? Marcel Hirscher knows the visible and invisible factors behind an extraordinary career. With the FUTURE TEAM at VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports, he is breaking new ground in talent and team development. At the FUTURE COLLEGE, the next generation of athletes takes center stage as individuals. There, they learn what it takes to reach the top—beyond mastering a fast turn on the slopes.

Internationality is just as much a part of the VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports racing DNA as uncompromising quality and performance. This is why they are here. They come from Austria, Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, the United States, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and they all were born well after the turn of the millennium. For now, they are fine-tuning their skiing careers on the FIS and Europa Cup circuits. But the future of VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports has many names, and some names may already sound familiar to ski fans. Romy Sykora (AUT) is the daughter of former World Cup winner Thomas Sykora. Alexander Ax Swartz (SWE) is the younger brother of Fabian Ax Swartz, who has established himself on the World Cup circuit. What connects them with their teammates Lea Unger (AUT), Hannah Fedrizzi (AUT), Hannah Embacher (AUT), Ruiz Herzog (AUT), Finn Neururer (GER), Fabian and Florian Neumayer (AUT), Zak and Luca Carrick-Smith (GBR), Anur Mehic (BIH), Alex Krupka (USA), and Jack Irving (GBR)? They are all part of the VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports FUTURE TEAM, the next generation of athletes in Marcel Hirscher’s race team.

Marcel Hirscher wants to help the youngest athletes on his team avoid unnecessary detours and learning experiences the hard way. The most important lesson from his eight consecutive overall World Cup title, and the years that followed, is this: “Athletic performance is, of course, always the foundation. But alongside a strong focus on sport, you also need the skills to deal effectively with yourself, your teammates, partners, the media, expectations, setbacks, and responsibility. The skill set you need goes far beyond skiing alone.”

This is precisely why VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports created the FUTURE COLLEGE. A program that does not focus on training, equipment, or race planning, but exclusively on the people behind the athletes. On personality, vision, and impact. And on the question of what it takes not only to become successful in alpine ski racing, but to remain successful.

“Different perspectives, exchange, reflection, meaningful encounters, expert input, and team spirit despite competition. This is exactly the kind of format I would have loved to have when I was young,” says Marcel Hirscher, reflecting on the successful premiere at the VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports headquarters. “It’s great that we are now exploring new paths and bringing initiatives like this to life. We have built a dedicated team that supports our athletes not only with world-class equipment, but also by guiding and developing them in many other areas.”

One of the most memorable moments of the FUTURE COLLEGE was the conversation with Marcel Hirscher and AJ Ginnis and the members of the FUTURE TEAM. Two athletes, two careers that could hardly have taken more different paths, yet they shared a common message for the young talents of VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports.

As the FUTURE COLLEGE ended, Marcel Hirscher left his young athletes with one final thought: “Never forget that countless young people dream of a career in alpine ski racing. You have already come a long way on that journey. Trust in what has brought you this far and keep building on it as you continue to grow.”