Preview: ‘Confident’ Mackie heads Olympic contingent at FIS Junior and U23 World Ski Championships in Lillehammer

The Milano Cortina 2026 Games might still be fresh in the memory but for several recent Olympians the next major event is just around the corner in the form of the 2026 Nordic Skiing World Youth Championships in Lillehammer, Norway.

“I’ve not had a lot of time to reflect on the Olympics,” says cross-country skier Alison Mackie (CAN), who will line up in the U23 Women’s 20km Mass Start Free on Thursday 5 March and the 10km Interval Start Classic two days later.

The Canadian, who only turned 20 in October, was one of her sport’s surprise packages at Milano Cortina 2026, finishing 22^nd in the 20km Skiathlon followed by a stunning eighth place in the 10km Interval Start Free.

“I went into the Games hoping for a top 20,” said Mackie, speaking from the World Cup event in Falun, Sweden, where she chose to compete – rather than rest – between the Olympics and the world youth championships as she bids to retain the green bib as the best U23 skier of the season. “I was pretty shocked but also really proud of that result.

“I’m not sure if it’s because of my age or because of my physiology but I find I race pretty consistently in the major championships, so it was really nice to see all my hard work and prep that I did leading up to it pay off.”

Among the rising stars likely to be joining Mackie in Lillehammer are Anton Grahn (SWE), 21, who has stood on a World Cup podium this season and 22-year-old Oskar Opstad Vike (NOR), who claimed silver in the Men’s Sprint Classic at Milano Cortina 2026. Both competed in the U23 category at last year’s world youth championships in Schilpario, Italy.

Another 20-year-old, Lars Heggen (NOR), won three gold medals in Schilpario and has gone on to claim four podium places in this, his debut World Cup season, while Mathis Desloges (FRA), who claimed two Olympic silvers last month, competed at the 2024 edition in Planica, Slovenia.

“It really shows the depth of the field that is in the junior/U23 category that so many skiers that competed at the Olympics will be in Lillehammer,” says Mackie, who is “pretty consistent” across freestyle and classic techniques but sees her future as a distance race specialist. “To have U23 athletes on the podium at World Cups and Olympics [means] it’s still pretty cool to compete at championships like that [youth/U23]."

“I really enjoyed the atmosphere. It did lots for my confidence going into the rest of the season and I’m hungry for more.

“I have some pretty big goals for the U23 world championships. At the world junior championships last year I got two bronze medals [in the 10km Free and the 20km Classic] so I have my eyes on the podium again. I’m going to race as hard as I can on each day.”

And what does Mackie believe she has to do to take that next step – onto a World Cup podium?

“I think just gaining experience at each World Cup race and progressing my training over the next few years are the best steps that I can take. I need to trust my trajectory, trust that I have what it takes.”

The FIS Junior and U23 World Ski Championships take place in Lillehammer, 2-8 March, featuring Sprint, 20km, 10km and 4x5km Relay events for men and women  across U23 and Junior (U20) categories.

For the full results and schedule, click here