Reigning 2023 snowboard slopestyle junior world champion Lucia Georgalli and 2023 junior world championship freeski slopestyle bronze medallist Mischa Thomas are among the first exciting tranche of athletes named to the New Zealand team for the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
Wānaka’s Georgalli was thrilled with her selection
“I am excited to experience the Olympic village and meet other athletes from all around world,” the 16-year-old said.
“Winning junior world champs earlier this year was an important moment in my career and gives me a lot of confidence going into the Youth Olympic Games.”
Snowboarders Campbell Melville Ives (Wānaka), 17, Txema Mazet-Brown (Raglan), 17, Ava Beer (Te Anau), 15, and Joshua Li (Auckland), 13, will join Georgalli in the side.
Joining Thomas (Auckland), 15, in the freeskiing events are Luke Harrold (Lake Hawea), 15, Fergus McArthur (Auckland), 17, Madeleine Disbrowe (Queenstown), 15, Finley Melville Ives (Wānaka), 17 and Liam Richards (Auckland), 15.
Ski-cross athlete Campbell Appel, 17, has also been selected.
The freestyle ski and snowboard selections are conditional on receiving an official International Ski Federation quota place for the games.
Cooper Breen, Hamish Barlow and Sylvia Trotter have been named as reserves.
Further Gangwon 2024 selections will take place in the leadup to the Games as alpine, ice figure skating, luge, and curling athletes work towards inclusion in the team.
The Winter Youth Olympic Games will take place in Gangwon, South Korea from January 19 to February 1 next year.
