Stage set as Junior World Champs prepare to give thrilling glimpse to future

More than 600 skiers representing 54 different nations have gathered in France’s Portes du Soleil to do battle at the 2024 FIS Junior World Ski Championships, 30 January – 3 February.

From established World Cup contenders to defending champions and even newly crowned Youth Olympic Games gold medallists, there is a stellar field of contenders ready to compete across six classic disciplines in five days.

But, as always, new names will put themselves up in lights.

Make sure you do not miss a thing, with the FIS providing a livestream with English commentary, plus highlights packages, available via: watch.fis-ski.com.

Meanwhile, the French Ski Federation offer a livestream with French commentary at https://tv.ffs.fr/fr/live

Women to watch

Keep your eyes on the battle between the 17-year-old Lara Colturi (ALB) and the 20-year-old Dzenifera Germane (LAT). Not only are the duo among the brightest young prospects in skiing, but they are also already established World Cup contenders.

In the space of the past two weeks alone, the pair came eighth (Germane) and ninth (Colturi) in the women’s slalom in Flachau, Austria and then followed it up with another eighth (Germane) in slalom and 13th in giant slalom (Colturi) in Jasna, Slovakia.

While the Latvian can narrowly claim bragging rights in terms of the best recent World Cup rights, the Albanian has many more top-30 World Cup finishes to her name and has Junior World Championship pedigree. While Germane failed to finish either of her races in the 2021 Junior Worlds, Colturi is the reigning super-G junior world champion and GS bronze medallist.

Add on typically strong French, Swiss, USA, Italian and Austrian teams and it is clear the action will be red-hot. While two of the youngest skiers on show, Girogia Collomb (ITA) and Maja Waroschitz (AUT) are liable to grab some headlines too.

The two recently returned from the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Gangwon, Korea with six medals between them. With the Alpine combined, slalom and mixed team event golds in her luggage, Waroschitz narrowly got the better of her young Italian rival (GS gold, Alpine combined silver and slalom bronze for Collomb) but things may be reversed in France.

Men to watch

On the men’s side, there is no doubt Livio Hiltbrand (SUI) takes top billing. The Swiss man of course has the greatest of role models in all-conquering Marco Odermatt. In fact the youngster has already had the pleasure of competing against his compatriot, with his 17th place in the super-G at last season’s World Cup Finals in Soldeu a very respectable marker.

Hiltbrand’s place in that race came about as a result of his triumph in last year’s Junior World Championship super-G race. Third in the downhill a year ago too, the youngster will be expecting even better this time around.

Among those ready to challenge him are two skiers with starkly contrasting experiences at the recently concluded YOG. While Miha Oserban (SLO) headed to Korea full of confidence, the Slovenian returned with two DNFs, a 34th and a best of fourth in the Alpine combined. Far from what the 2023 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) giant slalom champion was expecting.

By comparison, highly rated French prospect Nash Huot-Marchand overcame a slow start to grab a Youth Olympic giant slalom gold and slalom bronze.

The pair will go head-to-head again on Huot-Marchand’s home snow, but who knows the outcome this time.

Tune in to keep an eye on all the action. There will undoubtedly be new stories to tell.