Johanne Killi announces retirement from Norwegian national team

One of the best to ever do it is hanging up the competition bib for good today, as Norwegian legend Johanne Killi has announced her retirement from the national team after 10 years of incredible success and progression amongst the sport’s absolute elite.

Known amongst her friends and peers as “JoJo,” aka “YoYo,” aka “JK,” Killi’s international career began in 2013/14, where she won the European Open at Laax as a 16 year old, and it finished this past winter back in Silvaplana (SUI), where she ended up in third place - capping off a season that saw her earn podiums in five-out-of-five slopestyle World Cups while winning both the slopestyle and the FIS Freeski overall crystal globes.

Fittingly, a win back in Laax at the Laax Open slopestyle comp, at the same venue where she claimed her first big victory, was there amongst her accolades in her final season last winter.

With podiums in 19 of 38 World Cup starts over the course of her career (including six wins), seven X Games medals (including one gold), a Bakuriani 2023 World Championships bronze, and the pair of crystal globes, Johanne Killi retires not only as one of the most successful freeskiers in women’s competition history, but also as one of the nicest, warmest, and most down-to-earth rippers to ever do it. Her presence on the tour will be widely missed.

We were able to catch up with Jo-Jo for a farewell interview ahead of her announcement on Monday, so read on to hear more from the Norwegian queen herself, Johanne Killi…

So the reason we’re talking today is because it’s the end of an era. Maybe in your words can you tell me about how you came to the decision to step away from the national team and full-time competition?

I’ve been kind of feeling this coming for many years, especially in the summers. I wasn’t really having the motivation to travel anymore after having so much fun in the summer at home. But yeah, this summer I’ve just realized I’m ready for new challenges.

I want to try something new. I’ve been doing this for 10 years, travelling to the same places every year…I wouldn’t say it’s boring, but it’s a lot of the same stuff every year.

I feel like I don’t have the motivation to push through one more year, trying to stay on top. I don’t feel the same joy competing anymore. I had a really amazing season last year and it feels good to go out on top.

Yeah, let’s talk about that. It’s kind of a fairytale ending for you. You had the best season of your career in what we now know was your last season on tour - five-for-five World Cup slopestyle podiums, two crystal globes, and a World Champs bronze. Over your whole career you finished up with six World Cup wins, podiums in exactly half of your World Cup starts (19 for 38), one X Games gold, seven X Games podiums…looking back, what stands out as your favourite competition moment over the last 10 years?

I think maybe the X Games gold in Norway, in Hafjell, because that was my home for three years, and my home town is just like one and a half hours from there. My whole family was there and so many of my friends were there, and just doing it in front of the Norwegian people in general, that was super cool.

All the podiums where my family has been there watching live have been the most special ones. Like, I remember in Seiser Alm (ITA) in 2020, I think it was, they all came and I got second and we had such a huge party after. And my parents came to Georgia as well for World Champs, so that was really nice.

Also my first X Games medal in Aspen. I was pretty young and I was competing next to Tirill (Sjaastad Christiansen) and we both got on the podium together. That was pretty cool.

Was there anything that happened last season that really helped shape your decision to retire? I imagine seeing Megan Oldham stomp her triple cork at X Games might have been a moment where it was like, “Hmmmm…”

Ha, yeah. I definitely told myself at some point that I wasn’t going to do a triple cork, so when I saw that go down in competition I was just like, “Whooshhh…not for me!” Haha.

No, but I’m so stoked to watch what goes down in the coming years. I just want to watch it from the sidelines.

It’s feels weird for me to stop, but also I’ve been thinking about it for so long that it just feels right. I was scared to make the decision. I thought I’d be really sad, but I think I’ve been processing it for so long that it doesn’t feel that sad right now. I’m going to miss it, for sure, but at some point everybody has to do this.

The Norwegian team is a pretty tight unit, and everyone seems so cool and so nice to be around. Are there any specific non-competition memories or things that you’ll look back on as been special about your time with the team?

I just think the whole thing is special. Not just the Norwegians, but all the people and the whole environment. Everyone from all the different countries, but we’re all so close and cheer each other on. I really love the events like Spring Battle and Swatch Nines where we actually don’t think about competition, everyone just skis together and has a good time. So, it’s hard to think of a big moment that stands out. I’m just so happy that I’ve been part of the environment for so many years, and I’m going to miss that, for sure.

I was just down in Australia skiing and had so much fun just doing it on my own terms and doing the tricks I wanted to do, not thinking about competitions coming up. It’s been really a lot of fun just enjoying myself skiing, so I’m still going to be out there and maybe doing some events if I get invited, like Spring Battle or those type of events.

Besides school and studies, what’s next for you?

One thing I’m doing is I’m going to become a head coach for a girls’ program in Norway. It’s a development project for girls and I’m really happy to be a part of it. I’ll be giving advice from my own career and trying to get more girls into the sport and help them early in their careers.

The program starts with a big camp and a couple of coaches who pick out 13 girls, aged like 13-18. From there they have different camps through the year, some trampoline camps, skiing camps. I don’t know a lot about it yet, but I’m going to be in the planning process and showing up to the camps to be a role model, when I have time.

The Austrian team for example doesn’t have any new girls coming up right now, and I don’t want that to happen in Norway. I don’t feel like this sport is supposed to be more for boys than girls. It’s the same and I want to make sure it stays like that.

If you could go back in time and speak to 15-year-old Johanne when you was just starting your international competition career, what advice would you give yourself?

If I could go back in time and speak to the young JK? Ooh…maybe it would be, don’t give a sh*t what people think about you and just trust yourself.

And also, the way you treat yourself is really important. Be kind to yourself, and don’t be afraid to work with a mental coach. And ski as much as you can, but find the right people to ski with who push you in the right way.

And ski with the boys. It seems like the girls don’t ski with the boys as much now, but that was never a problem when I grew up. The boys thought it was cool when I was skiing with them, but now I feel like it’s more split. When I’m coaching I’m going to tell the girls they should ski with the boys and it will help them get really good.

Any shout-outs or last thoughts before I let you go?

I want to say thank you so much to everyone that I’ve met along the way. Try to keep the culture of freeskiing the same. I’m stoked to watch everyone and I’ll be cheering everyone on. I’m excited to see what the next chapter will be.

I think for me I’m going to go to Bali in November with a friend. I need to relax a little…I can’t just jump into a job yet. I’m still pretty young, even if I’m old in the sport. Maybe I’ll start another sport career…I feel like I still need to compete in something. And hopefully I still get invited to some freeski events once in a while.

There’s still time, for sure! Thanks for taking the time to speak to me, Johanne. We’re gonna miss you out there.

Yeah, it feels weird, but I can’t wait to get this out so people know it. See you around!