For the first time, Matyáš Bauer, son of the famous skier Lukáš Bauer, competes at an adult championship.

Matyáš wanted to “beat” his father

Matyáš aimed to deliver his best performance and “beat” his father, who competed in the same event at the 1997 World Championships in Trondheim. Read our interview with Matyáš Bauer, and find out what his father Lukáš thinks about his skiing career.

Matyáš Bauer was born on April 12, 2004, in Ostrov, Czech Republic, and lives with his parents in Boží Dar. His father is the famous Czech cross-country ski Lukáš Bauer, and his mother is Kateřina Balatková, a former cross-country skier. Matyáš has been involved in both skiing and football but ultimately chose the sport his parents excelled in.

Matyáš debuted at the adult World Championships in Trondheim this year, where his father competed in 1997. Back then, Lukáš finished 47th in the 10km classic race with interval starts. Now, Matyáš raced in the same discipline and finished 30th, just 1:34.1 behind the winner Johannes Høsflot Klæbo.

Also Read: Klæbo wins 10km interval start at the Trondheim World Championships

Results

At the 2022 Junior World Championships in Vuokatti, Matyáš placed 10th in the 7.5km classic, 19th in the 10km freestyle, and 22nd in the freestyle sprint.

In the 2024 season, he joined the senior national team, debuting at the World Cup in Ruka, Finland, in December 2024, where he finished 44th in the 10km classic and earned his first World Cup points. In January, he impressed at the Alpen Cup in Oberwiesenthal, Germany, winning silver in the classic sprint.

At the 2025 World Championships in Trondheim, so far, Bauer finished 11th in the 4×7.5km relay, 30th at the 10km classic, and 47th at the skiathlon.

Matyáš Interview

What does your first start at the senior World Championships mean to you?
“It’s almost unbelievable. Every athlete dreams of competing at the World Championships from the moment they first put on skis, and to achieve this in my first year at the elite level is amazing. Of course, this is not the end of the journey, but it’s definitely a huge step in the right direction.”

What do you think about your dad also competing in Trondheim in 1997?
“It’s funny how history repeats itself, like my first World Cup start. I’ll try to achieve a better result than he did so that our friendly rivalry continues.”

Do you think the tough courses in Trondheim suit you?
“I’ve never raced there (before), but since the beginning of the summer training, I’ve been watching race footage to prepare myself. From what I’ve gathered, the long, gradual climbs should suit me, as they’re similar to the trails I train on at home. I believe it could go well.”

What race would suit you the most?
“I’m focusing on the 10km classic, where I’d love to aim for a top 30 finish. I also want to show my skills in the skiathlon and make up for my disappointing debut in Lillehammer. And of course, if I’m selected for the relay, I’ll do my best to help achieve the best possible result.”

You missed the U23 World Championships due to illness. How did you take that?
“It was a tough decision not to go, but the illness hit me hard enough that traveling could have made it worse, and I wanted to stay healthy for the rest of the season. Fortunately, my friends had great results there, and I’d like to congratulate them. The U23 championship was a big goal this season, but it’s important for me to keep a positive mindset and show my form in upcoming races.”

Is your dad a big inspiration for you?
“My dad is my biggest inspiration. From a young age, I had the opportunity to see his hard work and learn what goes into achieving great results. That made it easier to handle tough training sessions. Of course, we sometimes have different views on training, but I mostly try to learn from him, and thanks to him, I’ve made progress toward my goals.”

And what does Lukáš Bauer think of his son Matyáš’s sporting focus?

Matyáš has been very successful and is now in his first year with the senior national team. When and why did he decide to focus on cross-country skiing?

“When I was traveling for races, we had journalists visiting, and Matyáš always said he didn’t want to be a skier and would play football. I’m terrible at football, and so is his mom, so we were surprised when he became so passionate about it. I enjoyed attending his training sessions and matches, except for the parents shouting at referees. That shouldn’t be part of it. Matyáš was good at ball games, and I saw myself in him, wishing I could play like that. When your child does well, you feel immense pride.”

“Since we live in the mountains, Matyáš joined a skiing club. One day, he returned from the youth Olympics and said he wanted to ski. I jokingly told him not to be crazy and that instead of going to watch football in Barcelona when I’m older, I’d be at Mísečky with a frozen nose. I tried motivating him with better football equipment, but after two months, he decided skiing would be his main sport.“

Would you like him to become a professional like you? Do you think he has similar potential?
“We’ve never pressured him. If I was crazy about training and dedicated to it, I was a weak version of how Matyáš approaches skiing. He sacrifices everything for the sport. He thinks about it constantly. Maybe it would be better to slow down a bit, but his results show he’s on the right path. As parents, we try to remind him that skiing isn’t everything and that we want him to study and have a life outside of skiing. Both Katka and I experienced that a career ends at some point, and it’s important to have a broader perspective. He has potential. How far he’ll go, I don’t know, but he’s already beaten my 1.500 m record, and soon he might break another. We tease each other, and I wish him the best, but above all, I hope he enjoys it.”

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