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Eileen Gu Becomes SI Swimsuit's Second Skier Ever Featured

Originally posted on Powder | By Izzy Lidsky | Last updated May 14, 2025 3:52 PM ET

The high-fashion queen of the ski world has landed amongst the pages of one of the most iconic sports publications around.

It's hard to say whether Eileen Gu is better known for being the most decorated freestyle skier in World Cup history, or how she's able to seamlessly move between a ski career and high-fashion modeling career. Either way, she's an absolute icon of the sport and getting featured in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swim Issue is par for the course when it comes to Gu.

Gu posted images from the shoot to her instagram with a caption reading: "This shoot holds such a special place in my heart and I’m so excited to finally share it with you - SI Swim 2025 issue is live on newsstands everywhere! Can’t wait to celebrate beauty and strength with my @si_swimsuit family this week in NYC."

Gu joins Lindsey Vonn, who was featured in the 2009, 2016, 2019 issues, as the second female skier in the magazine. Snowboarder Clair Bidez was also in the 2010 issues.

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A scroll through Gu's Instagram page will have you whiplashing between World Cup podiums and magazine covers for publications like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

Now, Gu joins athletes like track star Olympian Gabby Thomas, rugby player Ilona Maher, gymnast Jordan Chiles, WBNA players Cameron Brink and Hailey Van Lith, swimmer Ali Truiwit, and more female Olympians and athletes at the top of their sport for the 2025 issue.

While the SI Swim Issue has long been known for featuring images of predominantly models, since 2003 the issue has featured athletes amongst its pages as well.

SI Swim has long been criticized for the "climate of hegemonic masculinity" perpetuated in its imagery of women by scholars like sports sociologist Laurel L. Davis in her 1997 paper. However, the featuring of athletes, which has become far more prevalent in the magazine since race car driver Danica Patrick was featured in the 2009 issue, has slowly moved the needle away from misogyny and towards a multifaceted view of women that allows them to be seen as both strong, capable, and athletic as well as feminine and confident.

Athletes amongst other disciplines such as Serena Williams, Aly Raisman, Megan Rapinoe, Simone Biles, and Sue Bird have also been featured.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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