The brands backing a 24-year-old’s push for the Olympics

Annika Malacinski has the kind of Olympic story media outlets and marketers dream of. The 24-year-old daughter of a ski instructor grew up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado — one of the only areas in the U.S. with the infrastructure to facilitate Nordic combined, a marriage between cross-country skiing and ski jumping.

Malacinski’s brother, 21-year-old Niklas, has been in the game since he was seven, while Annika pursued gymnastics at an elite level. After a shoulder injury at 16, she worried her Olympic dreams were dashed, until she considered the family sport. She remembered being terrified as she locked her skis into the jump for the first time, then the adrenaline rush of flying. In a few short years, she’s become a top Nordic combined athlete and is on the U.S. women’s national team.

Right now, this is as far as Annika can go. The IOC voted against adding a women’s competition twice in recent years. Malacinski campaigned for its inclusion in Milano Cortina 2026, and she vividly remembered the frustrated tears as she learned of the IOC’s cold rejection without explanation.

• But she also considered this a turning point in her skiing career. She could either quit the game, or stay in the race and fight for Olympic inclusion.

For the past four years, Annika has chosen the latter, and she’s recruited powerful supporters along the way. From earning more than 74K followers across Instagram and TikTok to being the center of a Gore-Tex campaign, Annika is being embraced as the face of women’s Nordic combined.

• As she seeks an opportunity to compete in French Alps 2030, invested brands are realizing the ROI that comes from supporting someone fighting for gender equity — and the prime storytelling and brand affinity that comes with helping her close the gap. And let’s not forget the style points…