The Andorran delegation will include around sixty athletes, who will compete for the highest number of podiums in all categories against delegations such as Spain, France, the Netherlands, or Italy, among others.

Ordino Arcalís will host the Borrufa Trophy from January 26 to 29, the renowned international competition for young skiers under 16 years old. This year marks the 34th edition of the event, featuring participants from more countries than previous years, with up to 29 different nations from around the world. The presentation took place at the MoraBanc Auditorium in Andorra la Vella and included the consul general of the Ordino Parish, Maria del Mar Coma; the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports of Andorra, Alain Cabanes; MoraBanc’s Director of Communication and Brand, Wiro Martin; the manager of the Andorran Ski Federation, Carles Visa; and the director of the Ordino Arcalís ski resort, Israel Ramonet.

“For the Ordino Parish, the Borrufa Trophy is much more than a sports competition because it means the debut in the world of high-level competition and the first international event for many of our young athletes,” reaffirmed Maria del Mar Coma. Likewise, Alain Cabanes stated that “this is a special sports event,” as it gives young skiers the chance to be part of an international competition with more than 250 participants. “Just yesterday we introduced the team that will represent us at the Winter Olympic Games, and some of these athletes had won podiums at the Borrufa some years ago,” highlighted the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports of Andorra.

For his part, Wiro Martin pointed out that “sponsoring the Borrufa Trophy is part of MoraBanc’s commitment to Andorra. To the country, to the snow, and to talent. The Borrufa brings together all of these concepts, and MoraBanc contributes what it offers every day in its core activity, banking; we provide the trust that enables the organization’s good work to deliver an excellent competition every year.”

More countries represented

This year’s edition will see nearly 250 young racers, both boys and girls, coming from up to 29 different countries worldwide, a higher number than in previous Borrufa editions. Among the registered delegations are European countries such as France, Spain, the Netherlands, Hungary, Monaco, Finland, or Italy, which returns after a few years of absence, as well as the UK or Ireland. There will also be nations from other continents, such as Argentina, Chile, Lebanon, New Zealand, Australia, or South Korea, which is returning after participating for the first time last year. Three new countries will compete for the first time this year: Bulgaria, Iran, and Azerbaijan.

Each team can enter up to 10 racers, 6 in the U16 category—no more than 4 of the same gender—and 4 racers in the U14 category. The largest delegations this year, after Andorra, will be France with 20 racers; Chile and Argentina with 15 each; Ukraine and Belgium with 12; the Netherlands and Latvia with 11; and Spain, Greece, and the United Kingdom with 10 each.

The Andorran delegation will feature a selection of 59 skiers, 20 of whom will be divided into teams A and B, with the rest being athletes from the FAE (Andorran Ski Federation) who will also be able to participate. “We are very comfortable with this selection system because we give all the trained athletes an opportunity to compete in an international event,” Visa explained, adding that “they’ll be competing at home, where it’s always special.” The FAE manager also pointed out that “improving on the results from previous editions will be the best sign that the base of Andorran skiing is working.”

Competition, training, and fun

The competition will kick off with the U16 slalom in Portella del Mig and the U14 giant slalom in Les Canals on Monday the 26th. On Tuesday the 27th, it will be the other way around, with the U14 racing the slalom in Portella del Mig and the U16 racing the giant slalom in Les Canals. Portella del Mig will also host the U14 and U16 super-G races on Wednesday and Thursday—a race returning after not being held in past editions thanks to this year’s excellent snow conditions, with up to two meters of accumulation. “This is an event much appreciated by the delegations,” commented Ramonet. On Wednesday afternoon, the National Team Event will take place in Canaro, one of the most eagerly anticipated moments thanks to its exciting atmosphere and nighttime race. The ski resort director also mentioned that new additions this year include the hot seat, where the provisional leaders of each run will sit until the last competitor finishes, just like in the World Cups. “We want to liven up the Borrufa Trophy, while also preserving the competition's traditions,” he said. Another new feature is that each run will be filmed and the video given to the teams for feedback, which will also serve as a great keepsake for the future.

As always, social events will be held during the gathering, a key aspect of the Borrufa Trophy that aims to give young racers a first taste of international competition while encouraging camaraderie, healthy competitiveness, and friendships. On Monday, the opening ceremony will be held in Ordino’s main square, featuring the traditional parade by country—a colorful and festive moment that involves the whole town. On Tuesday, the delegations’ dinner will take place. Finally, the event will wrap up on Thursday afternoon, after the last races, with a closing party including the final awards of both the day and the overall trophy standings.

Follow-up

All competition results can be followed daily on the website www.borrufa.com, as well as on the Andorran Ski Federation’s website, which has a dedicated results section with a live-timing system showing each racer’s positions as they cross the finish line. You can also keep up with both the competition and social highlights via the trophy’s social networks: Instagram and Facebook. All official photos of the racers, as well as of the various social events and award ceremonies, are available for download here