Moguls Squad Named for Junior World Championships

 
Eight freestyle skiers have been selected to compete at the 2023 FIS Moguls Junior Ski World Championships at Chiesa in Valmalenco, Italy later this month.

The event was due to take place in Airolo, Switzerland earlier this year, but was postponed due to unseasonably warm weather and a lack of snow.

George Murphy, Edward Hill, Mac Livissianos and Oliver Logan will contest the men’s events, with the women’s team comprising Indiana Speirs, Lottie Lodge, Lucy Pernice and Charlotte Wilson.

NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Moguls Head Coach Kate Blamey will lead the team in Italy, alongside moguls Olympian and Next Gen32 NSWIS Coach Nicole Parks.

With the Championships also serving as a key qualification event for the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in South Korea, Blamey says it’s exciting to take Australia’s largest ever Junior World Championships team to Italy.

“It’s the biggest team we’ve ever taken for Junior Worlds,” she said. “As it does set the quotas for the Youth Olympic Games next year in PyeongChang, we’re looking to take the best team we can to give us the best chance of qualifying those spots. 

“For some of them it will be the first time wearing ‘Australia’ on their backs, while for others they’re on the NSWIS team and have had international competition experiences this season.

“It’s a really strong team with the leader being George Murphy who has just come off a personal best result in Georgia [at the FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships], so it’s great to have him lead the team and really show them how it’s done.”

Murphy comes into the event as the Australian team’s most experienced campaigner having launched into his first full World Cup campaign this season. 

“My first season on World Cup was definitely a great experience and opportunity for me to get a feeling for what it is like to compete at the highest level in my sport,” said Murphy. “I really enjoyed being alongside, training and competing against the greats like Mikael Kingsbury, Ikuma Horishima and of course Matt Graham.

“I am really grateful to have the opportunity to compete at this level at such a young age as I am able to gain early experience and understand what it takes to reach the top.”

The 19-year-old had an outstanding 14th place finish in dual moguls at the recent World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia, a performance he credits somewhat to the elite training environment he is now a part of.

“Being surrounded by such successful teammates really elevates, inspires and pushes me to
perform at my best,” he said. “Being taken under the wings of such successful Olympic athletes including Matt, Jakara [Anthony] and Cooper [Woods] has allowed me to understand what it takes to reach their level. 

“It’s incredible to have the chance to work alongside these amazing athletes, something that not many people have the opportunity to do.”

Murphy is determined to make the most of his progress this season, eyeing a place on the podium in Italy.

“My goal is to win a medal at the Junior Worlds,” said Murphy. “I believe that the experience gained from World Cups this season will translate through to Junior Worlds and I am excited to have the opportunity to compete against the best in my age category.

“Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to train and compete at the course in Valmalenco in February for the World Cup which puts me at an advantage over my competitors as I have a feel for the course and know what to expect.”

Coach Blamey said that while the team coming into the Championships has varying levels of experience, a personal-best result for each athlete is the major goal.

“The focus for this group is to perform their best and put down the best runs that they’re capable of on the day,” she said.

“The sport itself has the goal of qualifying the quota spots for the Youth Olympics… however we will focus on the performances of each athlete as it’s a great opportunity for them to ski an international event and to have that exposure that can take them one step closer to the world cup circuit or Olympic Games.”

Athletes will compete across the single moguls, dual moguls and mixed dual moguls team event. However, before competition gets underway on 21 March, the team will arrive at the venue next week for a FIS Training Camp from 12-20 March.

Click here for the World Championships schedule and results

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2023 FIS Moguls Junior World Championships
Chiesa in Valmalenco ITA
21-25 March

Australian Team
Men: Edward Hill, Mac Livissianos, Oliver Logan, George Murphy

Women: Lottie Lodge, Lucy Pernice, Indiana Speirs, Charlotte Wilson