Snow Sports New Zealand has named four athletes to the 2024 FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships Team. These athletes will represent New Zealand in Haute Savoie, France from January 28th – February 3rd 2024. All four athletes will be competing in Giant Slalom and Slalom.
Mikayla Smyth will be representing NZ in the women’s races. The men named are Sam Hadley, Alec Jackson and Toby Jackson. The team is coming into Junior Worlds off the back of some strong results over the past six months.
Mikayla has had an exceptional start to her 2023/24 season, winning the Far East Cup Slalom event in China in December 2023. She also won two Slalom FIS races and a Giant Slalom FIS race in Wanglong, China the week prior. During the domestic New Zealand season she achieved three top ten finishes in the tech events at the 2023 Winter Games NZ Australia New Zealand Cup races at Coronet Peak.
Sam Hadley has had four top 10 FIS race finishes during the New Zealand season and a 4th and 5th finish in Giant Slalom at the National Junior races in Italy in December 2023.
Alec Jackson has had two top 10 FIS race finishes during the New Zealand season, including a fifth place at the New Zealand Tech Series Slalom race at Cardrona in an international field.
Toby Jackson, at just 16 years old, is the youngest member of the team and has had a successful training block in Austria in the build up to the Junior World Championships.
"All the best to this talented group of Alpine athletes selected to represent New Zealand at the Junior World Championships. We look forward to following their progress at Porte du Soleil and cheering them on from home." - Jono Howson, Head of Alpine, Snow Sports NZ.
2023 FIS Junior World Championships team to represent New Zealand
Women
Mikayla Smyth (Auckland, 18) - Wanaka Snowsports Club - GS & SL
Men
Sam Hadley (Queenstown, 20) - Wanaka Snowsports Club - GS & SL
Alec Jackson (Whangarei, 18) - Tekapo Ski Club - GS & SL
Toby Jackson (Whangarei, 16) - Tekapo Ski Club - GS & SL
Kiwi Athletes Competition Schedule
February 2nd - Men's Slalom
February 2nd - Women's Giant Slalom
February 3rd - Men's Giant Slalom
February 3rd - Women's Slalom
