What is Milano Cortina's newest sport: Ski Mountaineering?

Milano Cortina 2026 07 Jan 25

Ski mountaineering is the newest sport on the Winter Olympic block.

The sport, which is also known as skimo, will make its Games debut at Milano Cortina and is set to test athletes’ endurance and technical abilities.

Find out all the answers to your questions about ski mountaineering:

What is ski mountaineering?

As the name suggests, ski mountaineering sees athletes combine skiing skills with those of mountaineering to complete a course that includes both uphill and downhill sections.

A key part of ski mountaineering races involves the athletes going through several checkpoints along the course.

With the mixture of terrain, athletes may have to take off their skis and move on foot while carrying their skis during parts of the ascent.

What is the history of ski mountaineering?

Ski mountaineering traces its origins to the traditional use for skis of allowing people to traverse mountainous terrain in winter conditions.

The first example of skimo as a sport came in 1897 when Wilhelm Paulcke of Germany completed the first alpine traverse of a route, going across the Bernese Oberland.

The first European Ski Mountaineering Championships took place in 2001 with the first World Championships following a year later.

Is ski mountaineering an Olympic sport?

Ski mountaineering was announced as an optional sport for the programme for Milano Cortina 2026 back in 2021.

It made its debut at a Games at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne with Milano Cortina marking the first time it will be held at a senior Games.

What different kinds of ski mountaineering races will there be at Milano Cortina?

There will be two different kinds of ski mountaineering races at Milano Cortina: sprint and mixed relay.

Sprint races are over short distances with one ascent and one descent with races typically lasting three and a half minutes. The ascent will include three stages, including one section on foot.

Relay races see one man and one woman in a team complete a circuit with two ascents and descents before handing over to the next skier.

Longer individual races, as well as vertical, or uphill only, races are also held as part of the ski mountaineering World Cup circuit.

Where and when will ski mountaineering be held at Milano Cortina?

Bormio will host the ski mountaineering events of the 2026 Games on 19 February and 21 February 2026.

It is a ski resort town in the region of Valtellina, with many visiting for its thermal baths but even more coming for the slopes best known for alpine skiing.

The famous Stelvio slope has become renowned in downhill skiing circles and will host all of the men’s alpine skiing disciplines at Milano Cortina as well as the ski mountaineering.

How do athletes qualify for Milano Cortina in ski mountaineering?

There are 18 quota spots each for male and female skiers, with up to 18 mixed relay teams.

Spots can be secured in three ways: at the 2025 World Championships in March, the Olympic Mixed Relay ranking list, or the Olympic Sprint Ranking list.

Who are the British athletes competing in ski mountaineering?

Seven Brits competed in the first World Cup event of the season in Courchevel in December.

Claudia Chmielowska was the highest finisher across both the men’s and women’s races, coming home in 41st place, with Ursula Catton and Megan Cooke also in action in the women’s race.

In the men’s race, Iain Innes was the highest British finisher with 49th place, with Neil Palfrey and James Smith finishing one after each other and Angus Davis completing the quartet.

How do you win a ski mountaineering race?

While the discipline is anything but simple, deciding the winner is quite straightforward. The victor in a race is the first person to cross the finish line.

At Milano Cortina, the sprint races will be held in elimination rounds to decide the line-up for the final where the first ski mountaineering Olympic medals will be awarded.

What skis do athletes use in ski mountaineering?

Ski mountaineering athletes use skis that are lighter than those used in downhill skiing but that have flexible bindings as seen in cross-country skiing.

Skins are also placed on the skis for the ascent to provide grip, these are then removed for the descent sections.

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