Ski mountaineering makes Olympic debut
Ski mountaineering, also known as ‘skimo’, is coming back to the 2026 Winter Olympics for the first time since 1946. Instead of using a chairlift, skimo athletes use ‘skins’ on the bottom of their skis to grip their way up the slopes and then ski back down.
The sports featured at the Olympic Games are always changing.
For Milano Cortina 2026, the sport making its Olympic debut is ski mountaineering (or “skimo” for short), where athletes race up and down a course while alternating between being on skis or on foot.
The sport dates back to Europe at the start of the 19th century, when Alpine skiers had to climb the mountains they wanted to glide down because mechanical lifts weren’t then an option. Eventually, military patrolmen began racing each other up and down the mountains they were guarding.
Over the decades, it evolved into a competitive sport. While first documented ski mountaineering competitions took place in the 1920s, the sport didn’t garner international recognition until the early 1990s.
The first Ski Mountaineering World Championships were held in 2002, and the inclusion of the sport in the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics paved the way for its addition to the Milano Cortina Olympics.
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