LIVIGNO, Italy Feb 6 (Reuters) - Austrian freestyle snowboarder Hanna Karrer blew out 18 candles on Friday in Livigno, at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, marking her coming of age on the world’s biggest winter sports stage.
Instead of partying at home, the young rider celebrated with team mates - including two-time Olympic champion Anna Gasser - with a stroll in town and a surprise professional makeup session. The group will be watching the Games' opening ceremony at the Italian Alpine town in the evening.
"It actually feels crazy, I didn't expect to celebrate my birthday here, it's a little different," she told Reuters.
The 18-year-old, the youngest member of her team, added that she was super excited although she did not "feel that much different from yesterday."
Her parents missed out on the celebrations as they will arrive a day late to cheer her on in the competition.
Karrer insisted she was not bothered by their absence as she plans to have a huge party with friends and family once she is back home, complete with her favourite dessert - a raspberry tiramisu made by her mother.
Karrer is determined not to put too much pressure on herself as she gets ready to make her Olympic debut.
“I’m not expecting too much… it’s my first Olympics, it’s all about experience,” she said.
She arrived in Italy as one of Austria’s rising talents, winning a slopestyle gold at the Youth Olympics in 2024 and claimed her first World Cup podium, with second place, in Beijing in December 2025.
A medal "would be nice, but I think I'll have to wait for it... let's see," she said smiling and hopeful.
(Reporting by Giulia Segreti in Livigno, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
