We asked the athletes about the best gift they’ve ever received, and the answers were full of surprises. From heartfelt keepsakes to playful treats, their stories reveal the personal side of life off the snow.

Oleksandra Merkushyna - Vlogging camera

"The best present I got was a vlogging camera from my sister. This gift pushed me to start YouTube channel I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid, and I really cherish my life in sports, and the camera helps me capture moments I’ll be able to look back on when I retire."

Aleksandrs Patrijuks - A cake always wins

"Best present? A birthday cake! This is the best birthday gift for me, always, and I love sweet stuff a lot! And of course I can share with my family and friends."

Noora-Kaisa Keranen - Snowboard gear

"Probably the best present I ever got was a snowboard, helmet and glasses. I got them last Christmas. It was the best one since it was a total surprise; I hadn't even asked for them! My sister and my mom got the idea after I always borrowed my sister's board, so they wanted to give me some quality gear.

I was so happy they thought about this. And I really love stuff that I can use! If it is to do with sports, even better."

Blagoy Todev – Giving: a vacuum cleaner, a multi-cooker, and 100 kg of detergent

"I want to tell what is the best gift I ever gave! I was 22, my girlfriend was 21. She had an occasion, so I decided to be romantic, and the most romantic thing I could think of broke the clichés. I said to her, “Wife, what do you need for the house?”

She never got flowers from me, but she did get 100kg of laundry detergent (from Germany), a multi-cooker and a vacuum cleaner, but she had to wait until Black Friday to be on the cutting edge. Flowers are for amateurs!"

Maxime Germain - Heelys

Heelys are the best gift Maxime Germain has ever received. The trendy sneakers with built-in heel wheels let you switch from walking to gliding in an instant—and it’s easy to imagine that mastering those smooth weight shifts helped Maxime find the perfect feel for ski turns long before he stepped onto cross-country skis.

Lena Repinc - Van trip

"Well, I dream of having a van turned into a camper one day and just traveling around, exploring, and cycling in all the coolest places. Going wherever you want, with no real plan—just making decisions on the spot based on how you feel. Getting to experience a little bit of that was just incredible. It was my uncle who took me on that van trip, and my sister joined as well. So it really was a top-notch gift.."