Winter Park Ski Stars Head to Italy for Freestyle Junior World Championships

Olivia Maurais and Asher Michel, two talented skiers from the Winter Park Competition Center, are set to represent the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team and U.S. Ski & Snowboard at the Freestyle Junior World Ski Championships in Valmalenco, Italy from April 3-6. They will be joining 12 other top athletes at the championships, which will be held at Chiesa Resort.

Michel is making his second appearance at the championships, having previously excelled in the competition in 2023 by winning gold in the team dual moguls race with teammate Alli Macuga, as well as a third-place finish in moguls. This season has been particularly successful for Michel, who earned gold in dual moguls at the NorAm Cup at Stratton Mountain Resort.

On the other hand, Maurais has been competing in various NorAm and World Cups this season, placing ninth in moguls at the U.S. Freestyle National Championships and fifth in moguls at the NorAm Cup at Deer Valley Resort. Maurais also secured a third-place finish at her home turf of Winter Park Resort by performing an “Iron Cross” during a jump in the U.S. Women’s Freestyle Moguls Selections.

Both Michel and Maurais have been training and preparing for the championships, with Michel seen during the Intermountain Health Freestyle World Cup moguls training at Deer Valley Resort and Maurais competing at the United Airlines Waterville Freestyle Cup dual moguls at Waterville Valley Resort. Their participation marks another milestone in their skiing careers as they continue to push themselves to achieve their goals on the international stage.