From Slovakia to the World: The Petra Vlhová Fan Club Phenomenon

Discover the story behind the passionate Petra Vlhová Fan Club, a global community that has rallied around the Slovak skiing star since 2018. With members in over a dozen countries, this dedicated group follows Petra to every corner of the World Cup circuit, bringing their vibrant energy and love for the sport wherever they go. From cooking goulash in Kranjska Gora to fan parades in Sölden, dive into the experiences and memories of Miroslav Ledecky, President of this fan club.

When was the Petra Vlhová Fan Club founded, and who initiated it?

The fan club was established in 2018. The idea came from me together with Petra’s father, Igor Vlha. I am the current president of the fan club. I know Petra personally and consult with her on some of the important activities of the Fan club.

How many members does the Petra Vlhová Fan Club have today, and in how many countries are they spread?

It’s hard to say in exact numbers, but the official fan club Facebook group has 55,000 followers. Many of them attend the races, while others cheer in front of the TV. As for other countries, fans are really everywhere: in the USA, Canada, Croatia, Slovenia, Germany, Austria, Finland, Norway, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and even Brazil. Petra is a phenomenon and brings people together. And Petra’s fans also cheer for everyone else. With love.

At which World Cup events has the Fan club consistently shown up in recent years? Are there any particular races that hold special significance for the fans?

Our base is probably in Kranjska Gora, where there is always a big fan club gathering, with goulash cooking or sausage grilling. We are always recognized by a bunch of orange hats, Slovak flags, folk music, singing, and dancing. You might like to know that a significant part of Slovak cultural identity is great hospitality.

**Slovak flags, folk music, singing, dancing and… cooking for Petra Vlhova Fan Club.**

Therefore, it’s not uncommon for trays of homemade bacon or sausages to be passed around in the stands during races. Fans in Méribel were pleasantly surprised by this habit. This hospitality also extends to giving gifts – Petra could tell you about the hundreds of postcards, pictures, or gifts she receives. Other world-class skiers also receive gifts and souvenirs, postcards from Slovak fans.

**Slovak fans have prepared special gifts for World-class woman alpine skiers**.

Among other race bases are Flachau, Semmering, as well as Slovakia’s Jasná and the Czech Republic’s Špindl. We participated in the parade in Sölden last year. In October, it depends on Petra’s participation in the opening Giant Slalom. But we will certainly participate at least symbolically, perhaps with other smaller fan clubs.

How do you keep Petra fans informed throughout the World Cup season? What social media platforms does the fan club use to stay connected?

We post everything in the Facebook group. In the past, there were more groups, but they were united into the official one. In the group, you’ll always find options for watching the races, the drawn starting numbers, statistics, information about individual races, and even competitions for Petra’s merchandise.

In Slovakia, skiing is very popular thanks to Petra, Veronika Zuzulova, and the Žampa brothers, so very little information escapes the media here.

**Slovakia fans’ passion for alpine skiing starts from a very young age.**

How can I become a member of the Petra Vlhová fan club?

Come to the races and cheer for Petra 😊 Join our Facebook group and enjoy Petra’s phenomenal skiing. We don’t stress much about official membership in the fan club – we’re all cheering for our amazing Petra anyway.

Which World Cup events are you planning to attend next season? Will the fan club be present at the World Championships in Saalbach 2025?

Semmering, Flachau, and Kranjska Gora are standards, and some will be in Levi, the USA or Canada. Essentially, there’s always a Petra fan present – just look for the orange hats.

**Just look for the orange hats to find a Petra fan**.

And as for the Championships – we definitely plan to attend. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but we have already contacted the organizers about arranging a friendly meeting of all fan clubs at the Championships. We want to chat, exchange merchandise, and enjoy the atmosphere together. Skiing is great in this way – there’s rivalry, but the relationships between fans are very friendly.

What is your most memorable experience with the Petra Vlhová Fan Club? Could you share a few highlights?

I don’t know if it’s the best, but definitely a very strong memory is the fan crowd in Jasná in January 2024. When Petra fell, there was dead silence for about 10 minutes. Everyone was hoping she would get up and ski to the finish safely. When she didn’t, the crowd sent her positive energy and showed their support by cheering for the other competitors. The other skiers really appreciated this. We read about it in many foreign media outlets.

Similarly, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, during the races, it feels like we’re at home, in Slovakia. Between the rounds, we gather and always come up with something for the fans – cooking goulash, singing, or grilling sausages.

Do you have any amusing or interesting anecdotes from the fan club’s journey that you would like to share?

I gave away all the caps, including my own, to fans during a race in the USA (Killington) two years ago. The next day, I went with my wife on a trip to Boston, and it was very windy. So I put on a cap I received as a gift – a cap from Mikaela Shiffrin’s merchandise! And who suddenly appeared from around the corner? The entire Vlhová team, led by Petra, who greeted me with the words: “What’s that on your head?” They still laugh about it today, and of course, there’s mutual respect between the athletes, so the whole situation was very funny.

And our favorite funny memory is from the 2022 final in Méribel, France, where Petra won the small globe for slalom. There were about 30 of us Slovaks there, but we managed to get the entire French crowd clapping and cheering – even the hosts found us very entertaining. Before the globe awards ceremony, we were standing in two different places across from each other according to our ticket types, so one half shouted « PETRA » and the other responded with « VLHOVÁ ». This shouting back and forth went on for about 2-3 minutes. The racers preparing for the podium were smiling at us, and the media still love to use a photo of Petra and Mikaela from this moment – yes, they are laughing at how crazy and unstoppable we were. But, of course, in a good way.