Atomic prepares the Redster team for Sölden in Altenmarkt

Atomic staged its 2026 Media Day at its Altenmarkt headquarters on 8 October, bringing together 13 Redster World Cup athletes and more than 60 international journalists just two weeks before the season opens in Sölden. The “home game before the home race” framing was deliberate: the event took place next to the factory where Atomic’s racing skis are developed and made.

The team on show

The Redster roster presented in Altenmarkt combines established stars with a new generation. Among those present were Mikaela Shiffrin, Sofia Goggia, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, Manuel Feller, Marco Schwarz, Raphael Haaser, Zrinka Ljutic, Alex Vinatzer, Tanguy Nef, Nicol Delago, Fabio Gstrein, Franziska Gritsch and Malorie Blanc.

Collectively, the group carries 28 Crystal Globes and six Olympic gold medals, a stat Atomic used to underscore the depth of its squad. The line-up also reflects Atomic’s international reach, with athletes from Austria, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, Norway and beyond.

Why Altenmarkt matters

Atomic’s decision to host the Media Day at its own headquarters, rather than at a neutral venue, was a statement about the link between its products and its athletes. The company develops and manufactures its alpine and Nordic skis in Altenmarkt, with additional production in Chepelare, Bulgaria.

Atomic president Wolfgang Mayrhofer put it plainly: “We deliberately brought Media Day back home… Here you can see that a victory in Sölden doesn’t just begin at the starting line.” The message is that the equipment athletes race on is not just branded gear but something built, tested and refined in the same town where the team gathered.

Sölden as the first real test

The 2026–27 World Cup season opens with giant slaloms in Sölden on 24–25 October, with the women racing on the 24th and the men on the 25th. Atomic is treating Sölden as the first genuine benchmark of the summer’s work.

“Our job is to make sure that none of them have to worry about their equipment when they’re standing at the start,” Mayrhofer said. “After an intense summer, we’re well prepared. But Sölden is the first real test of the season. That’s where the clock tells us where we really stand.”

Individual storylines to watch

Several athletes arrived in Altenmarkt with distinct narratives.

• Mikaela Shiffrin said her focus is on Super-G and giant slalom, while still calling slalom a “homecoming” she will return to regularly.

• Sofia Goggia is working her way back after the illness that disrupted her pre-season, making her presence at the Media Day a sign of intent.

• Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, now representing Brazil, was presented as the country’s first Olympic ski champion, a landmark for the sport’s global reach.

• Manuel Feller has ended his giant slalom career and will focus solely on slalom this season.

• Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, also an Atomic athlete, was absent as he continues training in Chile.

• What the event signals

Atomic’s Media Day is more than a photo opportunity: it is a coordinated launch of the brand’s season narrative, combining product updates, athlete access and a clear competitive message. By hosting it in Altenmarkt, the company reinforced the idea that its technical edge is rooted in a specific place and a close athlete-manufacturer relationship.

For the Redster team, the next stop is Sölden—and the first chance to turn summer preparation into World Cup points.