Ascent to Olympics

The national team is currently preparing for the 2024-25 competitive season at the Keketuohai ski resort in Altay. The young skiers are training to reach peak condition before the first World Cup event kicks off on Dec 14 in Courchevel, France.

According to ISMF rules, the two top individual finishers and teams in the men's and women's sprint and the mixed relay events at the 2025 worlds, scheduled from March 2 to 9 in Morgins, Switzerland, will earn direct qualification to the 2026 Olympics.

The rest of the quota places, barring those reserved for the host nation, will be determined by individual and relay team rankings, based on the results of 10 World Cup events at the end of December 2025.

Each National Olympic Committee is allowed to try and qualify a maximum of two men and two women for Italy.

To help Team China's youngsters take the leap from youth events to the open level, the Chinese Mountaineering Association organized an intense summer camp in New Zealand.

The athletes' weakness in downhill skiing, compared to their European rivals, were significantly improved under the watchful eyes of three experienced foreign coaches.

A similar overseas pre-season camp will involve drills in the Italian Alps early next month, to get the young skiers acclimated to course conditions for the World Cup season, said Li.

"Our young athletes have shown a lot of rapid improvement over the past two years," he said. "It's time for them to step up a gear in their final sprint to the Olympic stage. We will try to qualify as many athletes as possible through the new season and go for at least one medal in 2026," he said.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn