Ruby Serrouya and Zachari Moreau Narrowly Miss Podium at World Junior Championships in Lillehammer 

Canada’s Ruby Serrouya and Zachari Moreau delivered standout performances at the 2026 FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships, finishing fourth and fifth respectively in the 20‑kilometre mass start free. The results add to an excellent start for the Canadian team, which has already recorded four top‑10 finishes in the opening two days of competition. 

Serrouya stuck with the lead group throughout the race, sprinting to the line in a fight for the final spot on the podium and missing the medal by just 0.4 seconds. “It’s so exciting. I’m very proud of myself today, but I’m also feeling the strength of the whole Canadian team, the atmosphere is electric,” said Serrouya. Describing the final kilometres, she added: “I wasn’t really thinking. I tried to stay relaxed and let my body do its thing, and I just gave it everything I had.” Reflecting on how close the podium was, Serrouya said: “Today exceeded my expectations. Maybe it’s bittersweet when you realize how close a medal was, but there’s no part of me that’s disappointed, just excited imagining what that could have been like.” 

Canada’s depth was evident, with Louison Dubeif finishing sixth, Sarah‑Ève Picard in 16th and Madeleine Wilkie 29th. 

Luisa DAHLKE, GER, Julie SAND-HANSSEN, NOR, Heidi BUCHER, AUT, Ruby SERROUYA, CAN, Iselin Bjervig DRIVENES, NOR, Louison DUBIEF, CAN, podium photo, Junior Women’s 20km Mass Start Free at FIS Junior and U23 World Cross-Country Ski Championships in Lillehammer, Norway, 2026-03-04, Photo Credit: Fredrik Hagen

In the men’s mass start, Moreau delivered one of the most resilient performances of the day after a crash 2.5 kilometres into the race. “It was really tough. After the crash I was about 70th and had to spend a lot of energy moving back up to the lead group,” said Moreau. By the midpoint of the race, he had made it back into the leaders to contend for the podium. “I did my race, tried to recover what I could, and I’m really happy to finish fifth in the world. Our skis were excellent today, the service team and coaches nailed it, and I finished it off with a good sprint.” 

Moreau also highlighted the impact of the team’s early success on his performance. “All the Canadians have been performing well since the start here. Seeing the girls this morning on great skis, that motivates everyone.” 

Thierry Olivier, Teo Wadsworth and Eamon Wilson crossed the line in succession, finishing 23rd, 24th and 25th respectively. 

Marco PINZANI, ITA, Emil August LONGVA, NOR, Anton KEMPPI, FIN, Daniel PEDRANZINI, ITA, Zachari MOREAU, CAN, Tine SPORN, SLO, podium photo, Junior Men’s 20km Mass Start Free at FIS Junior and U23 World Cross-Country Ski Championships in Lillehammer, Norway, 2026-03-04, Photo Credit: Fredrik Hagen

The first two days of competition have showcased the strength of Canada’s developing athletes, and the potential of Canada in the sport. With momentum building, the mixed team relays on March 8 will be a race to watch as the team looks to return to the podium after winning the U23 mixed team relay at the 2023 championships.