Uruguay has no mountains and no natural snow, but that did not stop the South American country from holding its first national ski competition.
There was one obvious complication: Uruguay had to hold it in another country.
The Asociacion de Ski y Snowboard del Uruguay organized its first national alpine championships Sept. 14 at El Colorado Ski Resort in Chile, marking a significant step in the country’s effort to build a competitive snow sports program from scratch. FIS described the event as Uruguay’s first-ever ski competition.
“It is inspiring to see the ambition and commitment of this young National Ski Association, creating new opportunities for athletes to discover and develop in snow sports. This milestone shows that the passion for snow sports can reach far beyond traditional winter sport nations.” -Dimitrije Lazarovski, FIS Director of Development Programs
The giant slalom races attracted an international field, with competitors from Europe, North America, South America and beyond taking part at the Chilean resort.
For Uruguay, the event was about much more than the race results.
“Geography can make the journey more difficult, but it does not have to determine where you can go.” Asociacion de Ski y Snowboard del Uruguay President Joaquin Gallinal Carrau told FIS ahead of the competition.
Uruguay Had to Take Its National Championships Abroad
Uruguay sits between Argentina and Brazil on South America’s Atlantic coast. Unlike neighboring Argentina and Chile, it does not have a mountain range capable of supporting lift-served skiing.
FIS specifically noted that Uruguay has no mountains or natural snow, creating an unusual challenge for a national ski association trying to develop athletes.
The solution was El Colorado, located in the Chilean Andes outside Santiago.
The resort is already an established international racing venue. Unofficial Networks recently covered the 2026 Chile Winter Series at El Colorado, which has drawn racers from around the world during the Northern Hemisphere offseason.
Holding Uruguay’s championships there allowed the new program to use an established FIS race venue while giving its athletes the opportunity to compete against a much deeper international field.
“Uruguay’s first-ever ski competition is a significant milestone, not just for Uruguayan skiing, but for the growth of snow sports across South America. Every new federation that becomes active strengthens our region, giving South America visibility and recognition on the snow.” -Magdalena Kast, Miembro del Consejo FIS (ARG)
International Racers Won Both Giant Slaloms
Swiss skier Kevin Fritschi won the men’s giant slalom in 1 minute, 30.42 seconds. Americans Jack Morris and Kyle Harned finished second and third. Uruguay’s Nicolas Pirozzi Mayer finished 10th, 2.53 seconds behind Fritschi.
Luxembourg’s Gwyneth Ten Raa won the women’s race in 1 minute, 28.93 seconds, beating Norway’s Helene Unhjem Oveland by 0.16 seconds. American Kaitlin Keane finished third. Uruguay’s Mariana Vanrell started the women’s event but did not finish the first run.
The FIS calendar lists both races as Uruguayan national championship events, despite being contested on Chilean snow.
Uruguay Returned to the Winter Olympics This Year
The competition comes during what has already been a significant year for Uruguayan skiing.
Pirozzi represented Uruguay at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, ending a 28-year absence for the country in Olympic alpine skiing. According to FIS, he became just the second skier to compete under the Uruguayan flag at the Winter Olympics, following Gabriel Hottegindre in 1998.
Pirozzi finished 36th in the Olympic giant slalom and later returned to South America for the winter racing season. His FIS results include a giant slalom victory at El Colorado in August.
The broader goal is to make athletes like Pirozzi less of an exception.
FIS says Uruguay’s ski association wants to develop more male and female competitors while expanding into additional disciplines, including ski cross. The organization is also trying to expose more Uruguayans to skiing and snowboarding even though athletes must travel internationally to train and compete on snow.
That makes the first national championship both a sporting event and a practical test of whether a competitive ski program can be built in a country where skiing cannot actually take place at home.
For Uruguay, apparently the lack of mountains is a logistical problem, not a deal breaker.
