Folgaria, Italy, to host 2026 Snowboard Alpine Junior World Championships on 25-29 March, confirms International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).
Folgaria Lands Junior Worlds After Five Years of Test Events
The Trentino resort earned the nod following a run of European Cup races staged on Alpe di Folgaria since 2019. Those fixtures doubled as live trials of slope grooming, lift capacity, and parallel-course fencing, giving officials the data they needed. The resort sits at 1,300 m and faces north—snow stays hard, a must for alpine snowboard timing.
Parallel Giant Slalom, Slalom, and Team Event Fill Five-Day Card
Athletes born 2005-2008 will chase medals in Parallel Giant Slalom, Parallel Slalom, and Mixed Team Parallel. Each race runs as a head-to-head knockout on a 380 m vertical drop, mixing raw power with tactical line choice. Training starts 25 March; titles wrap with the mixed-team shoot-out, the same format that spiked TV ratings after its 2018 Olympic debut.
FIS Points to Cost Savings and Central Alps Location
Peter Krogoll, FIS Race Director, said Folgaria keeps team bills low—shorter drives from most European bases and on-site warehouses for boards and timing gear. Holding the junior worlds in the Alps also aligns with the federation’s push to keep development circuits inside traditional winter markets.
Automated Snow Guns and 7,400-Per-Hour Lift Capacity Back the Bid
Upgrades began before the 2013 Universiade: 95 % of the race slope is now under snow guns, and a four-seat gondola plus two high-speed quads move 7,400 riders an hour. Local hotels have blocked 1,800 beds within a ten-minute walk, trimming shuttle runs and carbon tallies.
Junior Podium Often Previews Senior Stardom
Benjamin Karl and Ester Ledecká both won junior worlds before grabbing Olympic gold within five seasons. With alpine snowboard quotas tight—16 riders per nation in 2026—next March’s points will weigh heavily in national-selection math. Expect World Cup scouts to crowd the finish corral like shoppers at a sample sale.
RAI Picks Up Domestic Rights; Global Stream on FIS Platform
FIS posted the full schedule Monday, listing daily start times and course reports; geo-blocks may apply where rights remain unsold. RAI will carry the action in Italy, while the federation’s own stream offers English commentary. Branding carries Trentino’s “Move Green” tag, touting electric groomers and car-pool perks for fans.
Sources: FIS press release; Folgaria Tourist Board; RAI Sport