The debate over who is the greatest of all time is an ongoing conversation in sports and entertainment all over the world, and skiing is no different. Skiing is especially unique since there are several different disciplines— from moguls and freesking to jibbing and racing. Therefore, there are numerous ways to self-express and become the best at that specific category. Given this, and the fact that so many incredibly talented skiers have graced the slopes over the years, it’s extremely difficult to outright pinpoint who is genuinely the greatest skier of all time.
So, instead of compiling a list solely based on statistics, numbers, or medal counts, we asked SnowBrains readers “Who is the greatest skier of all time?“. While the 250 responses varied, it was very clear that a few names stood out from the rest. Regardless whether your personal criteria involves being the fastest racer or the gnarliest big-mountain sender, these are the top three greatest skiers of all time according to SnowBrains readers’.
Shane McConkey
An absolute legend and pioneer, Shane McConkey not only pushed the limits to the extreme, but also became arguably one of the most influential people in skiing. His light-hearted and hilarious style, yet still clearly professional and calculated approach to skiing absolutely G.N.A.R.-ly lines with ease, was out of the ordinary, and captivating to watch. Both McConkey, and his alter ego, Saucer Boy, had a special and unique way of drawing in a crowd, while sharing and encouraging a few of the many things that skiing is truly all about; having fun, and not taking it, or yourself, too seriously.
In terms of accolades, Shane McConkey is another legend entirely in that respect. He has been featured in 26 ski movies, such as Yearbook and Claim. He created rockered, powder skis— all from the idea of mounting ski bindings to water skis. And he literally coined the term “freeskiing” and invented the International Freeskiers & Snowboarders Association (IFSA) in 1996. Needless to say, McConkey left his mark on the ski industry before passing away in 2009. Whether it was skiing wild lines, base jumping off of casinos in Reno and Las Vegas, or combining the two and ski-base jumping in crazy places; he exuded an energy that contributed so much to the sport and community, and it will forever live on in his legacy.
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Mikaela Shiffrin
Mikaela Shiffrin is not only the all-time most winning alpine skier in history, but a truly iconic and inspirational figure in the wide world of skiing. Boasting an extremely long track record of career accomplishments, Shiffrin is able to let her medals dictate and do the talking for her G.O.A.T status. After breaking onto the scene at just 15 years old, and claiming her first major wins just a season later, she quickly became a force to be reckoned with on the slopes. Now, a decade and a half later, she is the only skier ever to win gold across all six World Cup disciplines (slalom, parallel slalom, giant slalom, super-G, downhill, and alpine combined).
As for accolades, Mikaela Shiffrin is completely on another level. Over 100 World Cup wins (110 as of March 24, 2026), three Olympic gold medals and one silver, plus eight World Championship gold medals are just a few notable achievements on a staggeringly extensive list. She has also won an ESPY for “Best Athlete – Women’s Sports.” One of the most special of them all, she earned an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Dartmouth College in 2025. Regardless if Shiffrin is dominating every discipline on the mountain or attaining other life goals and achievements, her massive impact on skiing and her influence on future generations is spectacular.
Candide Thovex
The name Candide Thovex should basically be synonymous with “send it” and “legend” in the ski dictionary at this point. The unbelievable lengths he has gone to push the boundaries of his own skiing, and therefore the future of skiing, is remarkable and essentially unheard of. From landing a D-Spin 720 over Chad’s Gap at just 16 years old, to skiing literally unthinkable lines on everything from rocks and grass to water and desert sand throughout his long career, Thovex has uniquely and consistently demonstrated why he is largely considered the G.O.A.T.
During his competitive career, before transitioning more to filmmaking and freeriding, Candide Thovex made a name for himself and stacked up some memorable accolades. He won three Winter X Games gold medals, one from each discipline, including Big Air, Superpipe, and Slopestyle. Also, during his rookie (and only) season on the Freeride World Tour, Candide won the overall title after an impressive victory in Chamonix and a third-place tie at the Xtreme Verbier. After switching to predominately filmmaking-focused skiing, he has released several cinematic skiing masterpieces including Few Words and Ski the World. Needless to say, Candide Thovex is an absolute legend that seemingly—like a fine wine—just keeps getting better and more exceptional, proving to be one of the greatest skiers of all time.
