Professional ski racer Lila Lapanja has achieved a lifelong dream by qualifying to compete in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Lila grew up skiing on the slopes of Diamond Peak Ski Resort, USA. She first learned to ski at the age of two, when her parents scattered Easter eggs across the bunny slope and challenged little Lila to collect them while on skis. She quickly fell in love with the sport and soon found a nurturing environment with the Diamond Peak Ski Team, which helped launch her junior ski racing career.
Lila began her professional career with the U.S. Ski Team, securing four U.S. National Championship titles along the way. During this time, the current owner of Humancharger.us, Gary Miller, was her coach.
After years of competing independently on the World Cup, Europa Cup, and NorAm circuits as a U.S. racer, she switched her affiliation two years ago to represent her father’s home country of Slovenia, with the clear goal of qualifying for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Her strong performances on the Europa Cup circuit in the winter 2025/2026 earned her a spot on the Slovenian Alpine Skiing Olympic team - a dream she has cherished since childhood.
