Zrinka
Ljutić
Croatia
·
Skiing
Date of birth | 26 January 2004 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Zagreb |
Age | 22 |
Nationality | Croatia |
Career start | 2020 |
Disciplines | Alpine Skiing Giantslalom / Alpine Skiing Slalom |
Croatia's Zrinka Ljutić grew up idolising compatriot ski stars Janica and Ivica Kostelic – and now she's an FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup champion just like them. The second oldest of four children, the native of Zagreb fell in love with skiing thanks to her father, Amir, a coach at a local ski club.
Moving up the rankings
Since making her World Cup debut in 2020, the young Croatian learned precious lessons from her most experienced colleagues, including Sara Hector, Anna Swenn-Larsson and Janica Kostelic.
She qualified to compete at the 2022 Winter Games in both slalom and giant slalom and began steadily working her way up the slalom World cup rankings, moving from 30th in 2022 to 12th in 2023 and then 8th in 2024.
Then, early in the 2024–25 season, Zrinka took second place at four FIS Alpine Ski World Cup events in the lead up to Christmas. Showing that she'd made a massive leap from top 10 contender to podium challenger.
A slalom champion
We're not sure what they serve over the festive period in the Ljutić household, but the weeks immediately afterwards saw the most successful spell of her career to that point, with victories at three of the next four World Cup slalom races in Semmering, Kranjska Gora and Courchevel. A final podium for the season with second place at Sestriere in Italy put her at the top of the overall slalom World Cup title race for the first time.
Although she didn't ski her best on the day, 10th place at the final World Cup of the year in Sun Valley, USA, was enough to seal Zrinka's first-ever FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Slalom Crystal Globe – only the second Croatian skier to do so after Janica Kostelic.
"I grew up hearing about Janica, watching her videos. Now I’m one of the Globe holders in Croatia," says Zrinka. "I think it is just the start."
Zrinka Ljutić taking part in the Wings for Life World Run
© Niko Goga for Wings for Life World Run
Taking a deserved break during training
© Tomislav Moze/Red Bull Content Pool
Zrinka Ljutić carves up the course in Sölden
© Erich Spiess/Red Bull Content Pool
Ljutić has incorporated parkour into her training regime
© Tomislav Moze/Red Bull Content Pool