New Olympic sport ‘skimo’ debuting at the Milan Cortina Games

A new Olympic sport will make its debut at the Cortina Winter Games in Milan next month.

Ski mountaineering combines uphill sprinting (with boots and skis) and downhill skiing. Although the sport is relatively new on the global stage, its roots do date back to the late 19th century.

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Backcountry winter sports are growing in popularity, with anecdotal reports suggesting participation has surged during the pandemic.

Some facts about skimo: It’s fast, and sprint races last about 3 minutes.

how it works

Ski mountaineering will feature men’s and women’s sprint races and a mixed relay.

Here’s how the race works: Competitors lay skis on the bottom of their skis and charge uphill. The skin is a strip of material that provides uphill traction. They then run one section in boots before putting their skis back on for another uphill section.

Once at the top, they shed their skins and run downhill. In both the men’s and women’s Sprint formats, there will be qualifying rounds, with 18 players qualifying through three heats. The top three athletes in each preliminary round will advance to the semi-finals along with the other three athletes based on time. I

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In the semi-finals, two players advanced together with two other “lucky losers”, setting the stage for medal contention. The mixed relay consists of one female and one male competitor from each country. Each person will complete two ascents and descents. The female athlete starts, then tags her male teammate to switch. The first team to complete all four laps will win the gold medal.

Look who

The current ski mountaineering sprint champions are Marian Fatton of Switzerland and Oriol Cardona Cole of Spain. Another favorite is France’s Emily Harrop, who won the Test title ahead of Fatton at this venue last winter.

Cole won the men’s race ahead of Switzerland’s Jon Kistler and Arno Lita. In the mixed relay, Cole teamed with Ana Alonso Rodriguez to win. Harrop Anselmet and Thibault Anselmet finished second. Rodriguez said she was hit by a car while riding her bike in October and tore ligaments in her knee, which she hopes will heal in time.

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Team USA qualified for the Olympics in the mixed relay thanks to wins at the World Cup by Anna Gibson and Cam Smith.

place and date

The race will be held at the Stelvio Ski Center in Bormio, with the men’s and women’s sprint events taking place on February 19.

The mixed relay will be held two days later.

unforgettable moments

The medal winner will be the first place finisher in that event at the Olympics.

interesting facts

Penalties will be issued during games for disrespectful conduct, unsportsmanlike conduct, technical errors and lack of equipment. Penalties range from disqualification to overtime.

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The first Ski Mountaineering World Championships were held in France in 2002. The sport is organized by the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF), which represents some 55 national federations from five continents.

Ski mountaineering is part of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games. The sport has been proposed as a sport for the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.