Most professional athletes have some sort of pre-race or pre-game ritual, whether it’s a specific way they prep their gear, a mantra they repeat to themselves, or a meal they make sure to eat. For the winning-most athlete in alpine ski racing history, the pre-race ritual relies on a certain German candy brand: Haribo gummy bears.
Mikaela Shiffrin recently shared a video of her pre-race ritual to her social media, showing how she puts a few Haribo gummy bears in her mouth, takes a deep breath, and chews right before heading down the mountain.
😅😅😅 pic.twitter.com/QNT6c4PUFc
— Mikaela Shiffrin ⛷️ (@MikaelaShiffrin) December 27, 2025
Gummy bears and other similar candies are fairly popular as an on-mountain snack for skiers and snowboarders, with the quick boost of sugar keeping both athletes and recreators awake and alert while cruising down the slopes. Plus, a bag of gummies can easily fit in a jacket pocket.
This video was shared following the Semmering Giant Slalom in Austria on Saturday, December 27th, in which Shiffrin took 6th place overall. The following day, despite rough conditions and a fairly large time deficit after her first run, Mikaela was able to win her 5th slalom race of the season (and 6th in a row), again at Semmering.
