Purpose:The study aimed to investigate the role of training load characteristics and injury and illness risk in youth ski racing.Methods:The training load characteristics as well as traumatic injuries,overuse injuries,and illnesses of 91 elite youth ski racers(age =12.1 ±1.3 years,mean ± SD)were prospectively recorded over a period of 1 season by using a sport-specific online database.Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to monitor the influence of training load on injuries and illnesses.Differences in mean training load characteristics between preseason,in-season,and post-season were calculated using multivariate analyses of variance.Results:Differences were discovered in the number of weekly training sessions(p = 0.005)between pre-season(4.97 ± 1.57)and post-season(3.24 ± 0.71),in the mean training volume(p = 0.022)between in-season(865.8 ± 197.8 min)and post-season(497.0 ± 225.5 min)and in the mean weekly training intensity(Index)(p = 0.012)between in-season(11.7 ± 1.8)and post-season(8.9 ± 1.7).A total of 185 medical problems were reported(41 traumatic injuries,12 overuse injuries,and 132 illnesses).The weekly training volume and training intensity was not a signifi-cant risk factor for injuries(p ＞ 0.05).Training intensity was found to be a significant risk factor for illnesses in the same week(β = 0.348;p = 0.044;R2 = 0.121)and training volume represents a risk factor for illnesses in the following week(fi = 0.397;p = 0.027;R2 = 0.157).Conclusion:A higher training intensity and volume were associated with increased illnesses,but not with a higher risk of injury.Monitoring training and ensuring appropriate progression of training load between weeks may decrease incidents of illness in-season.