The Step from U16 into FIS Racing
The move from U16 into FIS racing is the biggest step in a young racer’s development, and the one where many lose momentum. Courses get longer and faster, the field suddenly includes athletes several years older, and every result is measured in FIS points. Junior FIS is our programme for exactly this transition: the last U16 season and the first seasons in FIS racing.
What Changes When You Start Racing FIS
- Longer courses, more gates and higher speed
- Racing against athletes who are older and more experienced
- Start order decided by FIS points, so new athletes start near the back
- Super-G and downhill become part of the season
- Equipment rules change with the category
How the Programme Is Adapted
Junior FIS is not the full FIS programme with fewer training days. It is built around what an athlete in the first FIS seasons actually needs.
- Technique before speed. The base from slalom and giant slalom has to hold at higher speed before the speed disciplines are added.
- A gradual start in super-G and downhill, from free skiing and training runs to the first races.
- Race selection. Choosing races where a young athlete can finish and score, instead of starting deep in the field everywhere.
- Video analysis after every session, so progress is measured, not guessed.
- Equipment advice for the move to FIS skis.
- Physical preparation at our Performance Center, with the load increasing step by step.
- The mental side: accepting weaker results at first, and understanding why they come.
Who It Is For
Junior FIS is for athletes in their last U16 season who are preparing for FIS racing, and for athletes in their first FIS seasons who want structured support. To start in FIS races, an athlete needs a FIS licence, which is issued through their national ski federation.
Where It Fits
Junior FIS is the middle step of the academy pathway. Each stage builds on the one before, with the same coaching approach and the same base in Flachau.
- Ski racing camps for U10 to U16 – technique, gate training and race preparation
- Junior FIS – the transition into FIS racing
- FIS Program with CLIF Racing Academy – year-round training for athletes competing for FIS points at an international level
Getting Started
Every athlete starts with a conversation about their current level, recent race results and goals for the season. From there we plan the training blocks and the races together. Current dates and locations are in the camp calendar, and our coaching team is introduced on its own page.