Freestyle skier Eileen Gu holds the fourth spot among the highest-earning female athletes in 2025, trailing only tennis stars Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Swiatek. Despite limited prize money in her sport, lucrative sponsorships and endorsements drive her estimated £17 million in total earnings, with £16.9 million coming from off-snow ventures. Gauff leads in off-court revenue alone.
Explosive Rise After Olympic Success
Gu’s profile surged at age 18 with two gold medals and a silver at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Born in San Francisco, the 22-year-old switched to represent China in 2019 through her mother’s heritage. She announced the decision stating, “I have decided to compete for China in the 2022 Winter Olympics. The opportunity to help inspire millions of young people where my mum was born, during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help promote the sport I love.”
Lucrative Brand Partnerships and Social Influence
Gu secures deals with major brands across the United States and China, including Porsche, Red Bull, Anta Sports, and TCL Electronics. Modeling contracts with IMG, Louis Vuitton, and Victoria’s Secret bolster her income. Her social media reach—over seven million followers on Weibo and two million on Instagram—opens further commercial doors.
Prize Money in Freestyle Skiing
Freestyle skiing offers modest competition payouts. Gu earned about £32,000 for wins in her first two events of the 2025/26 FIS season. Her December Snow League victory in China netted roughly £40,400, including a £3,600 appearance fee.
Preparing for Milano Cortina Defense
Gu gears up to defend her big air and halfpipe titles at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, set for February 6-22. She recently shared her mindset: “I’ve been training so much, I’ve been working so hard, and every single time I stay the extra hour, do the extra run, it’s proof to myself, it’s evidence to myself that I’m a winner and I deserve to win. I train like I’ve never won, and I compete like I’ve never lost.”
Stellar Career Achievements
Beyond the Olympics, Gu boasts two golds and a bronze from World Championships, three golds and a bronze from Winter X Games, and two golds plus a silver from Winter Youth Olympics.
