ABOUT
DANIEL FATZINGER

Alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn and young Daniel Fatzinger, both smiling, in front of a backdrop with logos including Red Bull, Audi, the US Ski Team, and other brands.

Daniel Fatzinger’s early ski lessons. Beaver Creek, Colorado.

BORN IN SEATTLE.
ROOTED IN COLORADO. SHARPENED IN AUSTRIA.

Daniel Fatzinger grew up skiing at Beaver Creek in Colorado, where long runs and soft snow shaped his balance, timing, and comfort on skis. The mountain also exposed him early to elite American skiing. During late-season training blocks, he often saw a young Mikaela Shiffrin finishing her sessions or moving through the village with the calm focus that defined her early years.

In 2015, Daniel met Lindsey Vonn for the first time. He still remembers the moment: an interaction that made professional skiing feel real, human, and possible. Those encounters did not create a dream; they clarified one. They showed him what disciplined work looks like up close.

Foundations in Minnesota

Daniel began structured race training with Team Afton in 2022 under Tony Olin, the longtime coach known for developing strong fundamentals in junior athletes. Olin previously coached Lindsey Vonn during her early racing years in Minnesota. He taught balance, clean carving, and the disciplined movement patterns that support long-term skill and speed on demanding snow. Daniel still carries Olin’s core message with him: fundamentals make you faster.

A Family Move and a New Environment

In 2023, Daniel’s family permanently relocated to Salzburg so he could train inside Austria’s alpine system. He joined WA Ski Race Club in Flachau, where demanding SL and GS sessions, off-season glacier training, and strong competitive fields shape his progress. He works on technical fundamentals, consistency in balance and edge placement, and adapting to varying snow conditions in real time. The environment is intense, focused, and built around Austrian craft and respect for the sport.

Now entering his third season with WA and his fourth as a racer, Daniel trains and competes across Salzburgerland and neighboring regions, learning from varied terrain and the depth of Europe’s junior fields.

A Cross-Border Athlete

Daniel has met and learned from athletes and coaches who shaped modern alpine ski racing. Encounters with Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn gave him early examples of discipline and professionalism. Conversations with racers such as Lucas Braathen, Daron Rahlves, Marco Odermatt, and Sofia Goggia helped him understand how different athletes prepare, think about risk, and adjust to the demands of the sport.

These moments are simple but meaningful: a signed race suit, a short exchange after training, or a piece of advice offered during a meet-and-greet. Each reinforces the same message: focus on the work, respect your team and competitors, adapt quickly, and remain patient. Alpine ski racing is a long game.

Where He’s Heading

Daniel’s long-term goal is clear: develop the technical and physical base required to enter FIS competition by age sixteen. The path is built on repetition, disciplined habits, and learning quickly from each session.

What remains unchanged since Beaver Creek is simple: he enjoys moving fast on snow. Now he is learning how to do it with clarity and purpose across Europe’s most demanding junior environments.

Mikaela Shiffrin, smiling and sitting on the grass outdoors. A young Daniel Fatzinger is sitting next to her, also smiling. They are in Beaver Creek, Colorado at a holiday event.
Daniel Fatzinger - Roland Wiedner - WA Ski Race Club
Daniel Fatzinger and his father in Beaver Creek, Colorado, in an alpine skiing downhill tuck position. Daniel is trying to model after his dad on a summer day.
A man and a boy smiling at a snowy outdoor location, both wearing ski helmets and gear, with several trees and vehicles in the background.
Daren Rhalves, former Kitzbuel downhill winner, standing next to Daniel Fatzinger in Saalbach, Austria, taking a selfie together in a pink-lit room.
Daniel Fatzinger Mikaela Schiffrin
A woman and a young boy taking a selfie together against a pink background with helmets on display. The woman is wearing a Red Bull cap and a black jacket, while the boy is wearing a red knit hat and a maroon hoodie.
A man and a boy smiling on a snowy ski slope, both wearing helmets and ski gear, with ski goggles on their helmets. The man has a large red backpack and the boy is in a red jacket. Snow fencing and wooded mountains are in the background.
A woman in a maroon jacket and white beanie and a young boy in a blue jacket smiling outdoors in a snowy winter landscape.