Lifting Shroud: What Do They Really Have Under Their Racing Suits?

In the day and age when people express themselves through body art, skiers, alas, have little to show for it – literally: their bodies are covered in lycra, kevlar, carbon, elastan and all sorts of other high-tech garments head-to-toe.

Several elite skiers did, however, adorn themselves with tattoos on every conceivable part of the body. Today we fill the gap in your knowledge and show you what’s under that racing suit.

The main tattoo-fan in cross-country skiing world is Norwegian Olympic champion Vibeke Skofterud. She has different images on her arms, hands, fingers, legs and back. Even so, we can’t say that all of her body is hidden behind bright tattoos!

American Andrew Newell bears a tattoo with an interesting statement. “All In Without Hope”, – states the inscription on his side. Newell says that a professional athlete should rely on craftsmanship – not on hope.

His second tattoo – inside, on the arm – depicts the outline of his native state, Vermont.

Swedish Jonna Sundling has three small snowflakes near her ear. She explained that the choice was very simple: she likes winter and cross-country skiing, and was born in December. Jonna said that it wasn’t tough to pluck up the courage to get a tattoo: she also has another one, but doesn’t say where.

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Another proud owner of snowflake tattoo is Gaia Vuerich from Italy Ironically, though, people can only see it on a beach or during summer trainings. Vuerich’s arm, meanwhile, is decorated with flowers.

Viktor Thorn, Ski Team Sweden’s A-group, has got tattoos on both arms. Unfortunately, society doesn’t know what they mean.

Everything is clear with Marcus Hellner’s tattoo, though – to someone’s regret, only temporary. “Only Gunde can judge me”, the inscription reads – an allusion to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s tattoo, “Only God can judge me”. Hellner did it before World Championship in Falun as an item of his PR-campaign.

Photo courtesy of andrewnewell.squarespace.com