Photo provide by the Stifel US Ski Team

Portes du Soleil, France, Feb. 3, 2024 — The 43rd edition of the FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships wrapped today with the men’s GS race at St. Jean d’Aulps—won by American Ryder Sarchett—and the women’s slalom at Avoriaz. More than 600 competitors from 54 different nations representing the world’s best under-21 alpine ski racers gathered in France’s Portes du Soleil to do battle for 10 sets of medals (in downhill, Super G, slalom, giant slalom and the Team combined). The Junior Worlds were held across five resorts in the Portes du Soleil region in the Haute-Savoie: Châtel, Morzine, Les Gets, Saint-Jean-d’Aulps, and Avoriaz.

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Swiss Team Tops Medal Count

Switzerland was the big winner at Junior Worlds, topping the medal count with nine medals (4 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze). During the Junior Worlds closing ceremony, held at the public viewing area just uphill of the men’s GS finish, the Swiss team took to the stage for a group photo with the glass Marc Hodler trophy, given to the top-performing nation. The Swedes were followed in the medal count by Italy and Austria in 2nd and 3rd. The U.S. tied with Norway for fourth place overall, thanks to Sarchett’s gold medal in the men’s GS and the American’s bronze medal in the mixed team parallel event. 

U.S. Takes Bronze in the Mixed Team Parallel

The mixed team parallel event pits teams of two men and two women from a single nation against one another in an exciting spectator-friendly dual format. The race took place on Jan. 2 under the lights in front of a large crowd on the Les Perrieres venue at Les Gets, one of 12 resorts in France’s Portes du Soleil.

Norway took the gold; Sweden landed silver, and the U.S. went home with the bronze medal. The U.S. team consisted of Liv Moritz, Elisabeth Bocock, Camden Palmquist, and Cooper Puckett.

“I was so excited to have done so well with during the team parallel event,”  Moritz said. “Parallel is definitely one of my favorite disciplines.” In the first round, the U.S. bested Finland. In the next round, the U.S. was seeded eighth but knocked out number-one-seeded Switzerland in the quarterfinals—the same team that knocked the U.S. out of the race last year in St. Anton. “Everyone on the team played a huge role in our result and all had important runs. We were stoked to beat the Swiss,” Moritz said. 

In the semifinal round, the U.S. took on Sweden with a tie-breaking time going the Swedes’ way. Next, the U.S. battled Canada for third place. Two DQs by the Canadians solidified a bronze medal for the American team. 

U.S. racer Hunter Salani left the event feeling positive about the week. “I think we were very successful,” he said. “As a team, I think we have momentum. We just need to keep working and we’ll be there.” 

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