Between Bumps, Jumps, and Medals: The Junior World Championships in Airolo
After nearly twenty years, the Junior World Championships have returned to our slopes. Together, we experienced four days of top-tier freestyle competition, defined by passion, sporting spirit, and pure fun. In total, our Raiffeisen Freestyle Arena welcomed over 130 of the best young athletes, aged 15-21, from 20 nations.
With so many highlights, it is hard to know where to begin. So let’s start at the very beginning.
On the third day, the sun was a little shy, but the athletes certainly weren't. Saturday, March 21 was team day, featuring the Aerials and Dual Moguls Team Events. In the Aerials Team Event, Ukraine showed everyone how to fly, taking first place ahead of Canada and the USA. In the Moguls, the two Swedish athletes who had already dominated the individual races reaffirmed their technical prowess and speed to claim a second gold medal, followed by the USA and Canada. You can find all the results here.
Sunday, 22 March brought a "grand finale" in every sense: 25 cm of fresh snow fell overnight. While the sun seemed to have taken the day off, the Dual Moguls athletes proved that the weather stops no one. You can find all the results here.
During the closing ceremony, the FIS flag was handed over to Sweden, who will host the next Junior World Championships. But that is a story for another day
The Junior World Championships were not the only freestyle event to visit Airolo this year. In January, we hosted the Raiffeisen FIS Freestyle Europa Cup Moguls. Looking ahead to the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, athletes from Switzerland, Australia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic, and Germany chose Airolo as their pre-Olympic training base. And it was a success not just for Switzerland. The Australian team also returned home a medal. In March, the Raiffeisen FIS Freestyle Europa Cup Aerials took place in Airolo, and shortly before the Junior World Championships, we also hosted the FIS Development Camp (9–16 March). This international training camp, organised by FIS, saw 46 athletes and 16 coaches training on the slopes of the Raiffeisen Freestyle Arena in preparation for the Junior World Championships. These international events have not only demonstrated our deep passion for sport but have also reaffirmed Airolo’s status as a global hub for freestyle skiing. Beyond the sporting prestige, these events made a tangible impact on the local economy, generating over 2,000 overnight stays.
A massive THANK YOU to everyone who made this spectacular event possible:
Explore Anya Censi Photography's photo gallery with pictures from the event.
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