Anna Trocker (center) pointed it out. © FISI

South Tyrolean ski jewel causes the next sensation

She is only 16 years old – and yet she is already attracting attention: Anna Trocker. The athlete from Völs achieved a rare feat on Thursday evening.

12 December 2025

From: leo

Trocker and Giada D'Antonio, two of the most promising talents in Italy, competed this week in races of the Nor-Am Cup. This is the highest level of North American racing, comparable to the European Cup in Europe. It's no surprise that established World Cup skiers like Franziska Gritsch (Austria) were among the start lists. This makes the performance of Trocker, who will turn 17 in just a few days, all the more impressive.

After finishing fifth in the first giant slalom with bib number 33, she upped her game in the following days: second place in the second giant slalom and a victory in Thursday's slalom. The youngster, despite wearing bib number 32, moved up to third place in the first run. In the second run, she then laid down the fastest time, securing a surprising joint victory with Canadian Sarah Bennett. She beat Gritsch, who was ranked in the top 20 of the World Cup standings just a few weeks ago, by over two seconds.

Now for the European Cup?

With her victory, Trocker earned 15 FIS points, which are important because they determine starting positions in races. The lower the starting position, the better. Now, everyone is eager to see if the South Tyrolean skier will get the chance to showcase her skills at a higher level in Austria. It's possible that Trocker will make her European Cup debut as early as December 19th and 20th, when two slalom races are held in the Ahrntal valley.

The story of the woman from Völs is certainly remarkable. In all three FIS races she competed in this season in Sulden and Pfelders, she was eliminated. Just a few days later, she not only engaged in a head-to-head race with World Cup athletes, but also beat them. That's how quickly things can change in sports.