Find out about 2027 Alpine JWSC venue Lake Placid

Last month, the FIS Council confirmed that the 2027 Alpine Junior World Ski Championships (JWSC) would be staged in Lake Placid (USA), best known as the site of the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Winter Games.

Lake Placid previously hosted the Alpine JWSC in 1994, the last time it was held in the United States. It most recently visited North America in 2022, specifically Panorama (CAN).

From March 2-12 2027, the racers will compete in six events on Whiteface Mountain: Downhill, Super G, Giant Slalom, Slalom, Team Combined, and Mixed Team Parallel. As has been the case in recent years, the winner of each individual event will earn a start at the FIS World Cup Finals - being held in Sun Valley (USA) - later that month.

Whiteface, one of the Adirondack Mountains, was the center of the action for Alpine Skiing at the 1980 Winter Games. Phil Mahre won the hosts’ sole medal, taking Slalom silver behind the great Ingemar Stenmark (SWE) who also won Giant Slalom gold.

Hanni Wenzel (LIE) matched Stenmark by completing the technical double on the women’s side, with Austrians Leonhard Stock and Annemarie Moser-Pröll claiming Downhill titles.

Well known as a prominent sliding venue - it hosted the IBSF Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Championships in 2025 - the New York State village has been a mainstay of Alpine Skiing’s Nor-Am Cup, part of the Continental Cup, for many years.

Lake Placid staged last season's Cross-Country Skiing World Cup Finals on nearby Mt. Van Hoevenberg with home hero Jessie Diggins making her farewell to the sport. And the UCI Mountain Bike World Series finale will take place at Whiteface at the start of October.

Despite only making initial contact in May during the Spring Meetings at Portoroz (SLO), the bid team put together a strong package that was awarded the event two months later. A site inspection, including slope homologation and facility assessment, was subsequently carried out in mid-July.

Chip Knight, now U.S. Ski and Snowboard Alpine Development Director, won Slalom silver the last time the Alpine JWSC came to Whiteface Mountain in 1994. That was the best showing by a home skier, while Mélanie Turgeon (CAN) won five medals including two golds.

“I've never forgotten what that home crowd felt like," he recalls. “Bringing this event back to Whiteface gives our next generation of racers that same chance to compete for a world title in front of family, friends and a community that's been part of this sport's history for decades.”

Logan Grosdidier secured women’s Super G silver at March’s JWSC in Narvik (NOR) having finished fifth in the Whiteface Nor-Am Cup Super G the previous month. “I’m really excited to race World Juniors in the U.S. next year, especially in a place like Lake Placid,” said the 17-year-old. “It’s going to be really special getting to compete in my home country and share the experience with friends and family.”

“Thirty-three years after last hosting the event, Lake Placid remains a cornerstone of winter sport in North America, with extensive experience delivering FIS competitions across several disciplines, including the Alpine North American Cup circuit,” added Spitz.

“The Junior World Championships are one of the most important milestones in the athlete pathway, helping to develop the next generation of champions while contributing to the long-term growth of the sport.”