About SkiMo
Ski mountaineering (abbreviated to SkiMo) is a new Olympic Winter Sport that will be contested for the first time in Milano Cortina 2026. SkiMo involves three different types of events: Sprint Racing, Vertical Race and Individual Race. Find out more about the sport and these three different event types below.
What is SkiMo racing?
SkiMo racing is a human-powered endurance competition that involves climbing mountains on skis and/or by foot and in many race disciplines, passing through a series of transitions before descending on skis. From local-smaller sprint races to ultra-style backcountry races, not all skimo races are created equal. Transitions are moments in a race where you will change your mode of travel with a few key transitions listed below.
- Skinning to Boot Packing
- Boot Packing to Skinning
- Skinning to Skiing
- Skiing to Skinning
Skimo races are timed events that follow an established course. These courses can start small and relatively simple within the boundaries of a ski resort or can be multi-day backcountry races that tick of alpine peaks in a challenging winter environment. Skimo Racing can consist of partnered Team events, Sprint circuit heats, team Relay circuit races and bottom-to-top Vertical races.
Sprint Racing
Sprint races are heat-based races in a tight circuit that climbs between 80 - 100 metres from the bottom to the top of the course. combining the essential ski mountaineering features and techniques with an ascent on skins, part of the ascent on foot with skis on the rucksack and then a single descent from the top. Every second matters to advance to the next round; completion of the course will take approximately 3 minutes for the fastest racers.
Vertical Race
Vertical races are a single ascent completed entirely on skis using skins traveling only up, no boot packing or downhill skiing is involved. Vertical gain should be 500-700 meters for men and women. This is a lung busting and heart racing event that will leave the strongest of athletes gasping for air.
Individual Race
Individual Races embody the true heart of Ski Mountaineering and are the most stunning races in the SkiMo family. An individual race typically has a minimum of three ascents and descents for men and women. The longest ascent should not account for more than 50% of the total elevation gain of the event. Race times vary depending on the event, but top racers should complete the event in 1.5-2 hours, with a minimum elevation gain of 1,300 metres. Individual Races are set on challenging trails and include a mass start of all competitors.