“So special to win as a team”

Bardonecchia was the site of a sensational alpine skiing showdown on Monday, 20 January as 16 countries competed in the mixed team parallel event.

As is the case in all competitions, however, there can only be one winner, and in this case it was Sweden that emerged victorious, clinching gold after a fierce battle against Switzerland in the big final. France secured the bronze medal, narrowly defeating Japan in the small final.

While the head-to-head event was packed with excitement, it was far from smooth sailing for the young student-athletes. Technical issues added drama to the contest, as the start gate malfunctioned twice, including during the high-stakes gold-medal final.

Sweden’s Stella Rodling Swanberg, who studies at Mittuniversitetet in Östersund, shared her thoughts on the unexpected hiccup. “I was a bit nervous and confused when the gate didn’t open. I didn’t understand what was going on. But I trusted my team, relaxed, and just went for it.”

The athletes remained focused, buoyed by cheers from fans and teammates waiting at the finish line.

Great teamwork and support

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Rocky path but incredible memories

The snowy slopes presented another test for competitors. “The field was great, but the tracks were a bit challenging. Overall, we had a lot of fun,” said Anna Regina Falk of Team Sweden, also representing Mittuniversitetet in Torino.

Gino Stucki, from silver medallist Switzerland, agreed. “Some parts were tricky, but the light conditions were good, and the snow wasn’t as bad as we had expected.” His teammate, Mathilde Phillips, added, “I think the blue course felt faster today, and my first two runs in it went well. With the red course I struggled a bit more, it was harder, but overall, it was a good day for Switzerland.”

Finding her strength within her team

Phillips recalled her reaction after a rerun was called in the final. “I thought we had won because the others started cheering. Then I saw ‘rerun’ and I was like ‘agh damn, I don’t know if I still have energy to do this.’ But, I took my time and I went again.”

Her resilience underscores the camaraderie that defined the day. “It was my teammates, they were so nice, cheering all the way and I couldn’t have asked for a better team to share this medal with,” said the 19 year-old student-athlete from the University of Geneva.

It’s all about team effort

All three podium teams emphasised the unique bond formed in this team event. “This medal is so special because we won it as a team,” said Falk. “Normally, we compete individually, but achieving this together is incredible.”

Stucki echoed the sentiment, mentioning how special the silver medal was for the Swiss. “It’s a really good feeling, especially to win a medal together with the team. A bit unfortunate, a few hundred metres missing the gold but getting silver is still nice.”

For Sweden, the victory calls for celebration. “We’ll party for sure,” said Carl Axel Lindqvist, who rounded out the winning foursome along with Emil Nyberg. Switzerland also had plans to mark its success. “It’s Swiss evening—we’ll eat raclette and celebrate before preparing for the slalom on Wednesday,” Stucki shared.

Two more days of alpine skiing are coming up at the Torino 2025 FISU Games, starting with the women’s slalom on Tuesday, 21 January at the stunning Bardonecchia station.

The  take place from 13-23 January. Watch all the competitions live on . Click on the link to find the full schedule.

Written by Veronica Andrea Garcia Sanchez, FISU Young Reporter, Mexico

The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.

We warmly thank FISU Official Partner Qiaodan Ltd. which provides remarkable uniforms to FISU Family and International Technical Officials since 2015. Qiaodan is a valuable partner for FISU as it continued to provide its support during the postponement of events due to the global pandemic, and recently extended the relationship with FISU up to and including 2025.