Alpine skiing sees junior competition in Lithuania and scheduling concerns for World Cup speed events

The FIS Entry League races recently took place in Druskininkai, Lithuania, marking a season start for several junior athletes. Due to poor glacier conditions and warm temperatures in the high mountains, the FIS elite ski alpine squad transitioned to indoor training on artificial snow to prepare for the competition. Athletes including Josef Marxer, Damian John, and Jason Ruhe participated in the four-slalom race program under the guidance of trainers Kilian Lercher and Simon Meraner.

Separately, concerns are rising regarding the Alpine World Cup schedule, specifically the timing gap between technical and speed disciplines. While the season begins in Sölden with giant slalom, speed specialists face a significant delay. Female speed racers may not compete until mid-December, roughly eight weeks after the season opener. Athletes like Olympic champion Corinne Suter have expressed a desire for earlier speed events, noting that the removal of venues like Lake Louise from the calendar has limited opportunities for World Championship selection training.