Aksel Lund Svindal and Ingemar Stenmark are true superstars of alpine skiing. Combined they have won two Olympic gold medals each and secured 36 (Lund Svindal) and 86 (Stenmark) World Cup victories, among other accolades. Next summer, the skiing legends will swap mountains for racetracks and become teammates for a full season of competition, in the successful new racing series Porsche Sprint Challenge Scandinavia.
"I must admit that I was surprised when Ingemar and Porsche Sweden asked me if I wanted to be in the team, as I don't have much experience in sports car racing, but I'm really looking forward to being part of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Scandinavia," says Lund Svindal.
Born in Norway, the Porsche Brand Ambassador has never competed in motorsport but is no stranger to high speed and adrenaline. During his career on the slopes he became known as the King of Speed, taking 14 downhill victories and 17 super-G wins in the World Cup. "This is a great honour, and I’m really motivated to learn more about racing. I know it's going to be fun, and this is in many ways exactly what Porsche is all about for me: good times and a passion for driving," Lund Svindal continues.
The sports car fan will compete with Porsche Racing Experience with the race number 82. His number 56 teammate is another giant of the slopes and the most successful alpine skier of all time: the Swede Ingemar Stenmark. Both men will drive the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport.
"Racing is great fun,” says Stenmark. “I already have one season in the championship behind me, and I really got a taste for it. There are so many similarities with high-speed skiing, such as advanced cornering and careful analysis of the course. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming season and to competing together with, and against, Aksel."
The Porsche Sprint Challenge Scandinavia is a racing series for young talent and semi-professional racers who want to step up from club racing to a championship that is fully sanctioned by Porsche Motorsport. The series is run during joint race weekends with the elite racing championship Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia.
"Having Aksel Lund Svindal and Ingemar Stenmark in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Scandinavia is a dream come true. Ingemar showed us in 2021 the thoroughness and motivation with which he enters new challenges. Now we look forward to following the fight on the racetrack with him and Aksel in the upcoming season," says Raine Wermelin, Director, Porsche Sweden.
The Porsche Sprint Challenge Scandinavia will be shown live on the streaming service Viaplay*, as part of the coverage of Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia, the region's leading racing championship.
* Applies to all races during the 2022 season, except Falkenbergs Motorbana.
