The 2006 FIS Junior World Ski Champions and the first official FIS World Championships for the Under-23 (U-23) age group ended in Kranj and Medvode, Slovenia, on February 5th, 2006, with a great celebration of youth and sport. “With more than 1000 participants, including approximately 550 competitors from 39 nations, these JWSC & U23 WC set a new record for an event of their kind,” stated Matija Vojsk, chairman of the organizing committee.
Out of the 60 medals awarded, Norway with a total of eleven medals, eight of them gold, won the medals ranking. The young stars of Kranj-Medvode included the skier Petter Northug (NOR), who won gold every time he started (three individual races and the relay) and became the first athlete ever to win five individual gold medals at the FIS Junior Nordic World Ski Championships; Gregor Schlierenzauner (AUT), who won two gold medals in Ski Jumping; Astrid Jacobsen (NOR) with two individual and a relay gold in Cross-Country, and Tom Betz (GER) who won two gold medals and one silver in Nordic Combined. In the U-23 category, Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) won the pursuit and the 10 km classical race. In the ladies’ FIS Ski Jumping World Championship premiere, Juliane Seyfart (GER) took the gold ahead of Atsuko Tanaka (CAN) and Elena Rungaldier (ITA).
Source: FIS
