Australia set to host first SkiMo Race!

Excitedly, after 3 years of work and tricky conditions, we're a little under two weeks away from Snow Australia delivering our first Australian SkiMo race at Falls Creek on the 24th of August. This is an amazing opportunity for the snowsport and back-country community to come together and participate in this newly minted Olympic sport.

Several of Australia's recent SkiMo World Cup athletes who have competed across multiple international seasons can't wait to finally share in the experience of competing at home, including mountain-running recruit Daniel Trevena and XC Winter Olympian Phil Bellingham.

"It's great to see a skimo race in this part of the world, said Trevena, who competed at his first-ever SkiMo World Cup and World Championship in Europe earlier this year. "The sport's exploding internationally and there are heaps of local athletes who could do well, so this is a chance for anyone skimo-curious to see and try a race. Lycra junkies, backcountry tourers, anyone can learn to go up AND down fast."

Daniel Trevena competing at the 2025 World Championship in Switzerland.

Bellingham [in action in the event poster at the top] is set to tackle the Falls Creek SkiMo Challenge the day after completing the Kangaroo Hoppet, Australia's international ski marathon at Falls Creek on August 23.

"Everyone knows I'm always up for a challenge," said Bellingham, who will be endeavouring to win the Kangaroo Hoppet ahead of the rest of the XC National Team members. I'm interested to see what the course will be and who might turn up to have a go at it. Racing the day after the 42km Kangaroo Hoppet will be tough and I'm sure I will be a little tired, but I'm still looking forward to have a race and giving everything I can".

This Falls Creek Mini-Individual SkiMo event will be held between Dicky Knees and Scott chairlift. The race will involve a M-style course where participants will complete multiple ascents and descents including a few boot pack section to really burn up those legs. With the course open for inspection at 10 am on Sunday the 24th, participants will have the opportunity to prepare both their equipment and race strategy as they attack the race. A mass start will then follow at 11 am with a presentation at Dicky Knees to finish off the weekend. 

Snow Australia SkiMo Chair Brian Lichi is looking forward to finally getting the event off the ground.

"After two years of cancelled races it's great to finally see this event ready to launch," said Lichi, who has put his own racing aspirations to the side to take on the Chief of Race role for the event. "As we look ahead to the Winter Olympics at Milano-Cortina in February 2026 this is a stunning event where everyone from the casual tourer to the uphill hero can try their hand at this new sport and pit themselves against the mountain, and maybe their friends."

While Australia had five female SkiMo athletes racing on World Cup last season, none are expected to be on the start line at Falls Creek due to school exams or being currently overseas. Consequently, the women's field will be wide open. Registration is available here on the Snow Australia website. 

Australian athletes Bastien Missud, Ava McCann, Lara Hamilton, Brian Lichi and Phillip Bellingham at the 2025 SkiMo World Championship.