Helen Hoffmann: Green Bib Winner Leads Germany’s Next Generation

If we were to compare the career of young German cross-country skier Helen Hoffmann so far, the most natural comparison within her discipline would be the final stage of the Tour de Ski, which takes skiers from the cross-country stadium in Val di Fiemme to the summit of the iconic climb that ends at Alpe Cermis.
In that race, after the first seven flat kilometers, the elevation gain shows a constant climb, which, without giving any break, takes the cross-country skiers up to 1,285 meters—simultaneously also deciding the winner of the Tour de Ski.
Just like the Cermis climb, the career of the now twenty-three-year-old German has thus far been a steady ascent toward the elite of cross-country skiing, which—skate after skate, medal after medal—has brought her, at just 22 years old, just outside the top ten in her first full season of World Cup racing.

Having started cross-country skiing at the age of six in her native Oberwiesenthal, a renowned ski resort in Saxony, Germany, Helen, after a solid first part of her career—like the first seven leisurely kilometers toward Alpe Cermis—laid the foundation for her brilliant future by studying and learning the art of skiing at the Oberwiesenthal and then Oberhof sports schools.
Her first change of pace came in Sarajevo 2019, when she won the bronze medal in the 5 km skating race at the European Youth Olympic Festival.

After gaining experience in 2020 at the Youth Olympics in Lausanne and at her first Junior World Championships, held on the familiar Oberwiesenthal tracks, the blonde Saxon's career has been characterized by rapid and consistent growth. The following year, Hoffmann won her first Junior World Championship medal in the 15 km mass start classic race in Vuokatti—a significant bronze in her less-preferred technique.

2022 was the year in which Helen Hoffmann's name became known internationally among fans of her discipline, earning the gold medal at the Junior World Championships in Lygna in the 15 km mass start skating event, and adding a bronze medal won with her German teammates in the relay.

Over the next three years, competing in the under-23 category, her personal climb to the top continued, and with it, her successes. She won gold at Whistler 2023 in her favorite race, the 10 km skate; a gold at Planica 2024 in the 10 km classic; and triple gold at Schilpario 2025, again in the 10 km skating technique.

This season (2024–25) saw her nearly breaking into the top 10 in the World Cup skiathlon in Lillehammer, finishing the season with the green bib as the best under-23. Surely, it has been a year to remember for the German skier, adding her first senior medal—a bronze won alongside teammates Fink, Hennig, and Carl in the women's relay at the World Championships in Trondheim last March.

Considering everything she's accomplished at her young age, Helen hasn't yet reached the pinnacle of her personal climb to the summit of Cermis, but we can certainly say that at the first intermediate, she's definitely among the best.

It's well known in sports that success at the youth level doesn't guarantee the same success at the adult level, but in Helen's case, her consistent improvement season after season and the solid foundations laid through her work with coaches in Oberwiesenthal and Oberhof are two strong pillars. Combined with her excellent technique and her drive to improve every detail, these will help her remain consistent at the highest level in the “adult” category.

Helen explains that her coaches, along with "not doing stupid things," are her secrets and strengths that have greatly helped her in the always difficult transition from junior level to competing at the top level in the World Cup:

In the pleasant conversation we had with the now twenty-three-year-old from Oberwiesenthal, she opened up about her life—from her early beginnings in cross-country skiing to her first successes at youth level, her ambitions for the next Olympic season, and her passions both inside and outside of the German Langlauf.

Helen, you come from Saxony, a region well-known for winter sports in Germany. Tell us about your beginnings with sport there and the conditions you found in your area that later led you to medals and success in cross-country skiing at the junior and U23 levels.

"There are many good skiers from Saxony, so skiing is a common sport, and it was natural for me to start skiing too. The conditions were quite good, we had good snow, and I enjoyed skiing a lot, so it was more fun than something I took seriously. After I moved to Oberhof, it became more focused, but I still enjoyed the work—though not always. The conditions in Oberhof are perfect, and I have good coaches to help me grow as a skier."

What ambitions did you have as a teenager while attending sports school in Oberwiesenthal and then Oberhof—in sport and in life?

"I think the real ambitions to be world champion started to grow in me when I moved to Oberwiesenthal, and then they just kept growing."

Tell us about the current situation of cross-country skiing in Germany—its vision for the future, and how it compares to biathlon.

"In Germany, we now have quite a strong team, and I’m glad to be part of it. We have very good training conditions at the national sports center, and we have good training groups, so we can help each other. Now the team is strong, but after the Olympics, some athletes might end their careers, so the future is uncertain. Compared to biathlon, I think they maybe have a brighter future because they have a bigger base of really good athletes who can get chances at big competitions."

What are the main critiques and adjustments you receive from your coaches? Where are you working most on a technical level to improve your weaknesses?

"I try to improve my technique a lot, but I have to say it’s really challenging. I feel stronger in skate, so classic is maybe my weakness. I want to improve in sprints and try to get more comfortable with high-speed techniques."

Describe what type of cross-country skier you are. What technical features and strengths do you have?

"I think I have a good engine, so I feel strong on uphills—and even more in skate than in classic. I think I can ski well downhill too. I like soft conditions, and when the differences are even bigger, it suits me when the race is really hard."

What innovation would you like to see introduced into the cross-country skiing circuit—or something from the past you’d like to bring back?

"I would like to bring back the 15 km instead of the 20 km. I also think it would be nice to have the 5 km individual race again. I like that distance, and it can be really entertaining. I’m not saying I want to do only 5 km, but I’d like to see it in the calendar a few times."

On March 7th in Trondheim, you won your first senior-level medal with the German team. Tell us about that day and your emotions before, during, and after the race.

"I wasn’t supposed to race in the relay at first, so when I got the opportunity, I was glad. I didn’t expect the other girls to be so far ahead, so I got a bit nervous, but I think I gave a good performance. I focused on doing my best, and when Victoria brought it home in third place, I was super happy. There were a lot of emotions in the team—it was a great moment in my career. After the race, we celebrated with all the teammates and coaches."

Milano-Cortina 2026 will be your first Olympic Games at senior level. How do you imagine them, and which formats will you focus on in Val di Fiemme?

"First, I need to qualify for the Olympics. After that, I want to focus on the 10 km skate and the skiathlon. If there’s an open slot for the sprint, I’d like to try that too, but it’s not my main goal."

What kind of person are you outside of cross-country skiing? Tell your fans about your personality and how it helps you in training and competition.

"I think I’m an easy-going girl, and I like to have fun. I listen to a lot of music—I like Rammstein, Slipknot, and Metallica, and I like going to their concerts and similar bands. Other than that, I’m a quiet, normal girl, because the life of a skier is mostly: eat, sleep, train, repeat."

In 10–15 years, after your sporting career ends, what would make you feel satisfied with what you’ve achieved?

"I’ll be glad if I keep improving and maybe someday win an Olympic gold medal. I also want to win the overall World Cup at least once."

This text is written by Paolo Romanò.