by InTrieste
The next generation of alpine skiing talent is set to take center stage as the FIS Junior World Ski Championships arrive in Tarvisio, a quiet resort town nestled in the northeastern Italian Alps. The 44th edition of the event, running from Feb. 24 to March 6, will host 382 athletes from 60 nations, all vying for gold—and a chance to qualify for the World Cup Finals later this season.
Among them is Giorgia Collomb, a promising Italian skier who recently claimed gold in the team parallel event at the Saalbach World Championships. She is joined by a strong Italian contingent that includes Tatum Bieler, Ludovica Vittoria Druetto, Emilia Mondinelli, Ambra Pomarè, Ludovica Righi, Sara Thaler, Giulia Valleriani, and Camilla Vanni on the women’s side, and Pietro Bisello, Sebastiano Cipriano, Jakob Franzelin, Emanuel Lamp, Nicolò Nosenzo, Luca Ruffinoni, and Enrico Zucchini among the men.
Other notable competitors include Switzerland’s Stefanie Grob, who has already competed in 16 World Cup races, and Austria’s Matteo Haas, a rising star with a European Cup downhill victory under his belt. Nations as diverse as Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Madagascar, and South Africa will also field athletes in the competition.
A Launchpad for Legends
Tarvisio last hosted the Junior World Championships in 2002, an event that produced some of the sport’s biggest stars. Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal, who won gold in the combined and bronze in the downhill that year, would go on to dominate the World Cup circuit and claim multiple Olympic and world titles. The American skier Julia Mancuso took home two gold medals in Tarvisio before embarking on a career that saw her earn four Olympic medals. Italy’s Peter Fill, who won the super-G in 2002, later became one of his country’s most accomplished downhill racers.
This year’s edition, organizers hope, will provide a similar springboard for the next generation of elite competitors.
Countdown to Race Day
With just days to go before competition begins, teams have started arriving in the picturesque Valcanale valley, where athletes will stay in hotels in Tarvisio and Malborghetto-Valbruna. The official Opening Ceremony will take place on Feb. 26 in Piazza Unità d’Italia, which will temporarily be renamed Medal Plaza to host the daily award ceremonies.
Events will be held on two of Tarvisio’s most renowned slopes: the Di Prampero course, which will host speed races, and the Priesnig B course, where slalom and giant slalom races will take place.
A Packed Schedule
The competition schedule will feature six disciplines: downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, alpine combined, and a team event. Races will unfold as follows:
- Feb. 27: Men’s & Women’s Downhill
- Feb. 28: Women’s Super-G & Alpine Combined
- March 1: Men’s Super-G & Alpine Combined
- March 2: Team Parallel Event, followed by a celebration for all teams
- March 3: Women’s Giant Slalom
- March 4: Men’s Giant Slalom
- March 5: Women’s Slalom
- March 6: Men’s Slalom & Closing Ceremony
Where to Watch
Skiing fans can follow the event in person, with free entry to all races, or via the official event website www.tarvisio2025.it and social media updates from the FIS and Friuli Venezia Giulia Turismo.
Select races, including the giant slaloms and slaloms from March 3-6, will be broadcast live on Rai Sport and ORF Sport, with additional coverage on FIS TV and the FIS YouTube channel.
For Tarvisio, a town with a rich alpine heritage, the Junior World Championships represent more than just a sporting event. They are a glimpse into the future of the sport, a chance to witness tomorrow’s champions before they make history on the World Cup stage.
