Rabanser and von Siebenthal triumph in PSL junior world championships

The FIS Snowboard Alpine Junior World Championships 2026 in Folgaria, Italy came to its final day with men’s and women’s parallel slalom races on Sunday. 

It was another sunny day as the athletes took on the technical turns of the PSL course. 

The home crowd had plenty to cheer for as Tommy Rabanser (ITA) finally broke through to claim gold. 

In the women’s race it was Xenia von Siebenthal (SUI) topping the podium in PSL once again.

Rabanser breaks through

The top four men and fastest qualifiers made up the semifinals. 

In semifinal one it was Rabanser getting the best of Krystof Minarik (CZE). Then Walker Overstake (USA) avenged his PGS loss in the big final, with a win against Ilia Khurtin (AIN) in the other semifinal. 

From there, Rabanser took on Overstake in a thrilling big final. The two were neck-and-neck the whole way until Overstake made a late mistake and missed a gate, opening up the opportunity for Rabanser. 

The gold is Rabanser’s first after placing second in both races in 2025 and fourth in the PGS on Saturday this year.

Overstake takes silver once again. He claimed the second podium spot in all three races this weekend. He also won silver in the team race in 2024. 

The small final was also eventful. In the early sections Minarik suffered a tough fall and clipped Khurtin, causing both to not finish. Khurtin was given the bronze medal after Minarik was disqualified for interference. Minarik also received medical attention after the fall. 

Khurtin’s bronze goes along with his gold in the PGS one day ago. 

Elsewhere, Manuel Haller (ITA) lost to Minarik in the quarterfinals after a DNF. His teammate Tobias Mutschlechner (ITA) suffered the same fate. 

Ondrej Tulach (CZE) won the gold in the team event, but was hit with a tough draw in the knockout rounds. He lost to Overstake in round one. 

Nuri Mosca (SUI) was the highest-ranked snowboarder to not qualify for the knockout rounds. Samuel Schwerdt (GER) won the bronze in the team event, but could not advance out of qualifying on Sunday.

Von Siebenthal is the queen of PSL

It was the top two athletes and fastest qualifiers in the big final as Xenia von Siebenthal (SUI) and Mariia Travinicheva (AIN) dueled it out for the gold. 

It was down to the wire as von Siebenthal edged past Travinicheva by 0.16 seconds. The Swiss rider collapsed with joy after crossing the line. 

It was a flip of the big final on Saturday when Travinicheva got the best of von Siebenthal. 

The gold for von Siebenthal is her fifth junior world championships medal. She has now won three of the past four PSL junior world championships, plus a PGS bronze in 2024 and the PGS silver yesterday.

Travinicheva gets a silver to go along with her PGS gold from Saturday. 

Anne Victoria Mammone (ITA) had a great day but missed a gate in the semifinals and was sent to the small final against Zoe Jansing (GER). 

It was a dramatic small final as Jansing and Mammone both dove at the line with Jansing taking the bronze medal. It is the first junior world championship medal for Jansing.

In the quarterfinals, third-fastest qualifier Mathilda Scheid (GER) was upset by her teammate Jansing right at the line. Their teammate Ina Reichelmeir (GER) was hit with a disqualification in the same round. 

The storylines started even earlier on in round one. Lanxi Wei (CAN) won the bronze in PGS on Saturday and qualified fourth-fastest on Sunday. She was then knocked out in round one.

In qualifying, Linda Jechova (CZE) picked up a gold medal in the team event. She did not make it past the qualifying rounds on Sunday. Team silver medalist Akina Kizuka (USA) also did not qualify for the knockout rounds. 

It was a wonderful display of athleticism and speed from the juniors this weekend. The level was as high as ever. 

Best wishes to all of the athletes as they go into the offseason and prepare for their next steps. 

Check out the full results and schedule from Folgaria here.

Also, do please head to Reuters Connect and Actionpress.de to view and purchase a wide selection of photographs from this race and from all FIS events.