Estelle Alphand

Estelle Erika Ainee Alphand (born 23 April 1995) is a French-born Swedish alpine skier, who competes in all events. She was born in Briançon, France, and is the daughter of former alpine skier and rally driver Luc Alphand. She has represented Sweden since the beginning of the 2018 season, having previously competed for France.

Biography

Alphand, whose mother Anna-Karin is Swedish, began competing in her first FIS races at the age of 15. In January 2011, she won her first competition at this level: an alpine combined in Tignes, France. A month later, she made her World Junior Championships debut. In February 2011, she entered the European Cup, concluding her first season by becoming the French junior slalom champion. At the first Youth Winter Olympic Games in February 2012 in Innsbruck, Alphand won three medals: gold in super-G and silver in both giant slalom and super combined.

During the following two winters, Alphand mostly competed in the European cup, where she first appeared on the podium after a super combined in Kvitfjell in December 2012. Her first appearance in the World Cup was in a giant slalom in Ofterschwang in March 2013. Her best result in the World Junior Championships was when she finished in 4th place in the downhill in Lillehammer in 2015. Alphand won her first World Cup points on 24 November 2015, finishing 21st in a giant slalom in Aspen.