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From Unexpected Beginnings to Unwavering Love: The Fan Club Lucas Brazil Story

Is it common to accidentally start a fan club for an athlete from another country? Probably not – but that’s exactly what happened in Slovakia. Darka Sefcik shares the unexpected yet heartfelt story behind the creation of the Fan Club Lucas Brazil, a vibrant community that has grown in support of ski champion Lucas Pinheiro Braathen.

Photo copyright FCLB Archive

How and when was the Fan Club Lucas Brazil founded, and who was behind its creation?

It’s quite a complicated story full of coincidences and unexpected twists, but let’s try: In Sölden 2023, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen announced his retirement, and the Eurosport commentators immediately started speculating about his return for Brazil. At the fan club parade, where I was with Petra Vlhová’s fan club, I met Øyvind Setnes, the president of Fan Club Feller Norwegen, and we stayed in quite close contact. Øyvind competes in Masters, and sometime in January, he sent me a few pictures from his slalom training. I joked that he was training to fill Lucas’ spot on the Norwegian team. He replied that to get to the World Cup, he’d probably need some outsider country. I said that Brazil was very popular at the moment (thanks to the speculation). He laughed and sent me a sketch of what is now our fan club logo.

Darka Sefcik (Left side on the photo) and Øyvind Setnes (Right side on the photo) during Fan Club parade in Solden – Photo copyright FCLB archive

At that time, I was in Cortina at the Para Alpine World Cup, and the skiers around me found it hilarious and told me I should get a T-shirt made. Back home, my then 5-year-old daughter (who absolutely adores him – she even dressed up as him for a carnival…) and I adjusted the logo’s colors, added nail polish, and printed a few stickers just for fun – for helmets and such.

Then, in early March, during a ski trip in Alta Badia, we met Lucas at a ski event for a brand, so I gave him some stickers. He smiled, thanked me, and a few days later, he officially announced his comeback for Brazil. My friends, including Øyvind, immediately encouraged me to start an Instagram page for it, saying it would be fun.

So I did. Without any plan or expectations, just with a lot of joy that Lucas was back in skiing. That guy is amazing.

You were already a fan of Lucas before. Why him?

Of course, I’ve known about him since the 2018/2019 Europa Cup. He quickly made a name for himself in the World Cup, and his positive energy and strong friendships with Atle and others were always entertaining. During his globe winning season, he was my clear favorite – winning the Crystal globe and the Rising Ski Star title in one season is pure brilliance!

I was in Andorra for the finals with friends from Petra’s family and fans, and next to us stood a man in an indifferent red jacket. When suddenly an emotional Lucas jumped into his arms, we realized it was his father and ended up crying with them. The raw emotion radiated from him like a positive wave, and we were completely melted. I wanted to know more.

On the way back, I read everything available about him and was won over by his activities, mindset, ideas, work with youth, art, uniqueness, positivity, and sincerity. I work in education, and positive role models for children and young people are extremely important – I see the consequences of bad role models every day. And we truly need more positive figures like Lucas.

Who makes up Lucas’ fan base, and from which countries do they come? How has Brazilian culture shaped the fan club?

His fans come from a vast number of countries, of all ages and backgrounds, with different reasons for supporting him. Grandmothers who see him as their adopted grandson, kids, parents whose kids view him as a role model, teenagers who have a crush on him or love his style and self-expression, skiers who admire his technique, Brazilians for whom he represents cultural identity, people who, like him, feel different from others and are inspired by him to embrace their uniqueness, and, of course, general ski fans.

Many are from Slovakia, Austria, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, USA, UK, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Brazil – so far mostly Brazilians living in ski countries, but more and more are discovering skiing for the first time. I find the diversity of fans and their motivations fascinating. Many share their stories with me, and it’s an incredible spectrum of people.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen Fans came from a vast number of countries – Photos copyright FCLB Archive

In my opinion, Lucas probably doesn’t need an organized fan club – people love and support him regardless. But fans naturally tend to come together, wanting to belong somewhere, cheer together, and share the joy. It’s really beautiful, full of love and friendship. And of course, for us in Europe, Brazil is exotic, and we’re discovering new things. So far, I’ve learned that Brazilians are incredibly passionate, and I have no idea where their limit for fun is! I’ve discovered some Brazilian food, drinks, and a whole new world of Brazilian D’n’B. And in return, they are learning about skiing and its rules – they ask questions. The other day, I even had to draw how to properly ski through a hairpin turn. I believe it’s important to explore different cultures in a positive way like this – it helps prevent harmful stereotype.

Does the fan club attend all of Lucas’ races?
Yes, the fan club is present. Of course, different members each time – one person alone couldn’t do it all (even though I’d love to go everywhere…) We set it as a goal during the six months before the season – to have the fan club present wherever possible. We have online meetings with a group of fan club presidents and friends from various countries, helping each other with banners, printing, transportation, accommodations, tickets, and brainstorming crazy ideas. There are tons of them – some completely wild! And since Lucas is unique, we try to approach it responsibly and in a way that aligns with his values. It’s not perfect, but people seem to be enjoying it.

How do you connect with fan club members, and what kind of activities do you organize?
Through our Instagram account. I try to reply to everyone, and many share their banner ideas or experiences meeting Lucas. We call it the “Pinheiro Effect” – when people talk about how meeting him was a unique moment that still makes them smile randomly.

And for activities – well, Brazil has to be visible! Flags, stickers, banners, brigadeiro, quizzes, caipirinhas, fun photo props (glasses, frames, speech bubbles…), capturing the real fun in the crowd on amateur videos. When making reels, I use natural, unpolished photos and videos sent by fans – it offers a different perspective compared to official footage.

Fans are incredibly crafty and creative – they make gifts, bake, paint their nails, draw, write, knit… It’s amazing how he inspires them. He’s a gamechanger.

Brazil has to be visible during World Cup races… – Photo copyright FCLB Archive

How can I become a member of the fan club?
Do you cheer for Lucas? Want to be in this fan club? Welcome! Everyone is invited. You can follow @fanclublucasbrazil. If you meet one of us, we’ll give you a sticker or a flag. If you’re going to a race and want a fan club flag, message me. If you want a banner, download and print it (the link is on our Instagram).

We collaborate with @skiworldcupfancom in France, and our banners are freely available. But most importantly – have fun.

Will the fan club be attending the World Championships in Saalbach 2025?
Absolutely! We can’t wait. And since the Giant Slalom is on Valentine’s Day, expect a lot of love and hearts.

What is your most memorable experience with Lucas or the fans? Does he know about your activities?

This is a tough one. Since I never expected any of this to happen, every new experience feels like « the next big thing. » A beautiful moment was meeting him at the autograph session in Sölden, where Brazilian fans brought him brigadeiro, and I had collected a whole bag full of gifts, letters, and all sorts of things from fans to give to him. When you think about it, this was before the first race, and yet he had already created such a frenzy.

A beautiful moment for fans in Solden meeting Lucas Pinheiro Braathen at the autograph session – Photo copyright FCLB Archive

Another great memory was the fan club parade, where his wonderful Norwegian family and friends joined us. Putting a Brazilian tattoo on his grandmother’s cheek during a race was also an unexpected but adorable moment! Meeting him at training in Levi, where he came over to chat with us, was amazing as well – we really appreciate how kind and warm he is towards fans.

And we can’t forget our proud member Alessandra, Lucas’s mom! She had so much fun with us in the stands at Alta Badia, and then she really brought the party to Madonna di Campiglio – I’m sure you saw that on TV!

Experiencing the podium moment in Kitzbühel was absolutely magical. We were soaked to the bone, but it was so worth it! In the online world, it still feels surreal that massive Brazilian media outlets and even the Brazilian Ski Federation collaborate with me on posts. Honestly, I have no idea where this could go next!

And yes, the team knows about us, and they say they enjoy our fun. They’ve thanked us for it. Of course, I told them that if we ever cross any line or do something inappropriate, they should tell us right away, and we will correct it. We don’t want to do anything wrong.

Do you have any funny or interesting moments from the fan club that you’d like to share? Any wishes for the future?

When I turned on the TV broadcast from Beaver Creek, I couldn’t stop laughing – the crazy fans from the US section were running around with a giant fan club flag and tons of banners, catching the attention of cameras and journalists. It’s honestly mind-blowing that our little joke about a Brazilian fan club has turned into this massive thing that has taken on a life of its own.

And my wish? First and foremost, Lucas’s good health. I hope he continues to thrive in this incredible story that he has brought to the world. If he’s happy, we will be too.

And I have a small, slightly childish dream – one day, I’d love to have his bib…

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen at Beaver Creek
Photo copyright FCLB Archive