Ski mountaineering
International Ski Mountaineering Federation About ski mountaineering
Milano Cortina 2026 writes a page in the history of the Olympic Winter Games by adding this sport to the Olympic programme for the very first time! Here is everything you need to know about ski mountaineering.
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Competition events
Ski mountaineering is an exciting, intense and adrenaline-filled sport that allows those who participate to connect with nature and pristine landscapes. It is particularly popular in Italy, with deep historical and sporting roots in the Alpine regions. It will debut in the Olympic programme at Milano Cortina 2026, with competitions featuring three events:
The races will take place in Bormio, in Valtellina region.
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Olympic history
Ski mountaineering (often referred to as “skimo”) began as a practical way to travel across snowbound mountains in regions such as the Alps and Scandinavia, later evolving into military patrol competitions and iconic endurance races like Italy’s Trofeo Mezzalama and Switzerland’s Patrouille des Glaciers. The modern sport was formalised from the 1980s, with European championships in the 1990s and the first world championships held in France in 2002. The International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF), which has 56 member associations spanning four continents, was founded in 2007 and has been recognised by the IOC since 2016. After featuring at the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020, ski mountaineering will make its Olympic Winter Games debut at Milano Cortina 2026, with sprint races for men and women and a mixed relay in Bormio.
Basic rules
The sprint race consists of an ascent and descent. The ascent has three stages. Athletes begin the race with skis attached, then remove them and place them on their backpacks to tackle a set of steps. The final stage involves a further ascent on skis before the skins are removed for the descent to the finish line. There are various elimination rounds in the lead-up to the final, in which medals are awarded. The normal duration of the race is around 3.5 minutes per heat.
The mixed relay consists of two ascents plus a section on foot with skis attached to the backpack for each ascent and two descents.
Bormio
Thanks to its thermal springs, forests, and snow-capped peaks, Bormio has earned the nickname of Magnifica Terra: the “Magnificent Land.”
Frequently asked questions
In ski mountaineering, the ascent is done using one's own effort, while in off-piste skiing, or freeriding, one ascends with lifts and descends along routes off the slopes.
One of the most popular Italian ski mountaineers is Robert Antonioli, the winner of seven gold medals at the Ski Mountaineering World Championships.
French athlete Axelle Gachet-Mollaret, who has won 13 world titles, is one of the strongest ski mountaineers of all time.
France, Italy, Switzerland and Spain are among the countries with the strongest ski mountaineering tradition
At Milano Cortina 2026, the competitions will take place in Bormio, in Valtellina region.
