Italy's Tabanelli siblings set sights on freestyle glory at Winter Games

ROME, Jan 29 : Siblings Miro and Flora Tabanelli were destined to become winter sports athletes, having been raised by parents who ran a mountain refuge in the Italian Apennines and put them on skis at the age of two.

After career breakthrough victories for both last year in the World Cup and X Games, they are Italy's best hope of challenging the U.S. dominance of freestyle skiing in their home venue at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in February. 

The town of Livigno, which is hosting the Games' freestyle events and is one of their sponsors, hails them as "the most promising freeskiing pair in the world, Italian and siblings to boot".

Miro and Flora grew up in the Duca degli Abruzzi-Lake Scaffaiolo refuge in the mountains north-west of Florence, with no TV, mobile phones or social media, exploring nature and practising sports with parents Antonio and Lucia, and older sister Irene.

"I don't regret it even for a moment," 21-year-old Miro told the Casa Max podcast about his non-digital childhood. "We always had better things to do, that is, being outdoors, super free," he added.

Before going professional with freestyle skiing, the Tabanelli siblings practised downhill skiing, mountain biking, snowboarding, figure skating and artistic gymnastics, excelling in all of them.

"They're all sports that have taught us some awareness of movement, coordination, and balance. And that's something that's very important to develop as children," Miro said in the podcast released in December.

Flora, speaking to Eurosport Italia, said skiing and jumping "is something that gives me freedom". 

FLORA RECOVERING FROM INJURY

Miro made his international debut in 2020, while Flora, who is three years younger but at 18 is already the most successful