In 2019, he graduated from the Stams Ski Academy in Austria, and in 2024, from the MCI Management Center Innsbruck with a degree in business administration.
Laine began alpine skiing at the age of 6 in Otepää, under coach Peeter Siim.[1] His coaches have included Margus Silbaum, Oliver Nindl, Toni Trenkwalder, Christoph Praxmarer, Matthias Dietl, and Meelis Minn. Since 2022, he has been part of the Global Racing Ski Team[2] and trains under Paul Epstein. His strength and conditioning coach is Indrek Tustit.[3]
Career
Tormis Laine grew up in Otepää, Estonia. At age 11, he moved with his family to Götzens, Austria to pursue his alpine skiing career. He studied at the Stams Ski Academy.
He made his international competition debut on July 30, 2016, at a FIS slalom race in Tiffindell. His first major international championship experience came in February 2017 at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Erzurum, where he placed 18th in the giant slalom.
During the 2017–2018 season, Laine primarily competed in youth national and FIS races. He also participated for the first time in the Junior World Championships (where he did not finish) and debuted at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, finishing 40th in the giant slalom.
At the 2019 World Championships in Åre, Laine placed 5th in the qualification but skied out in the first slalom run. At the same year’s Junior World Championships in Val di Fassa, he finished 25th in the slalom, marking his first top-30 result at an international championship.
Laine made his World Cup debut on November 27, 2020, in the parallel slalom in Lech/Zürs, finishing 58th in the qualification round and not advancing. In the following years, he primarily competed in Continental Cup series and FIS races. The exceptions were major championships, with his best result being 9th place at the 2021 Junior World Championships in Bansko.
His best result in the European Cup came on February 6, 2024, in Gstaad, where he placed 16th in the slalom. A few weeks later, on February 27, he won his first Continental Cup race — a giant slalom in the North American Cup in Mont Ste Marie. This marked the first-ever Estonian victory at that competition level. In the North American Cup’s overall giant slalom standings, he finished 3rd and was 2nd overall, just behind Canadian Simon Fournier.
In the 2024–2025 season, Tormis Laine competed for the first time in a full World Cup season. On November 1, 2024, he earned his first World Cup points with a 27th-place finish in slalom in Levi — the first-ever World Cup points scored by an Estonian alpine skier. Over the season, he collected points in five giant slalom races and four slalom races. In the World Cup overall standings, Laine ranked 29th in giant slalom and 42nd in slalom.
At the World Championships in Saalbach that same season, he achieved Estonia's all-time best World Championship result with Juhan Luige in the newly added Olympic team event, finishing 13th.
Tormis Laine is the Estonian national champion in giant slalom (2017, 2019) and slalom (2019, 2024). He has been named Estonia's best alpine skier from 2019 to 2025.
Junior World Championships
2018 Davos – no result in giant slalom or slalom
2019 Val di Fassa – 25th in slalom; no result in giant slalom
2021 Bansko – 9th in slalom, 20th in giant slalom
European Cup
Three top-30 results
North American Cup (2023/24 Season Summary)
2nd overall
3rd in giant slalom standings
4th in slalom standings
Six podium finishes, including three wins:
February 27, 2024 – Mont Ste Marie (Canada), giant slalom
April 10, 2024 – Panorama (Canada), slalom
April 11, 2024 – Panorama (Canada), slalom
Far East Cup
Two top-10 finishes
Australia and New Zealand Cup
Two top-15 finishes
Winter World University Games
2023 Lake Placid – 9th in slalom, no result in giant slalom
European Youth Olympic Winter Festival
2017 Erzurum – 18th in giant slalom, no result in slalom
Family
Tormis Laine's father, Tiimar Laine, was an Estonian champion in relay running. His sister, Tuule Laine, is a multiple-time Estonian youth champion in alpine skiing.
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