Australians race in new Olympic sport

Courtesy Australian Olympic Committee

An Olympian selected for his fourth Games and a mountain adventurer will represent Australia when Ski Mountaineering makes its Winter Olympic debut.

Sydneysider Lara Hamilton competes at her first Games, while Phillip Bellingham, a Mount Beauty local who grew up skiing at Falls Creek, will compete at his fourth Games. 

Bellingham represented Australia in Cross Country from Sochi 2014 through to Beijing 2022. He is also in contention for selection onto the Cross Country team for 2026- with the Team finalised later this week. 

“It is hugely exciting to have two athletes representing Australia in the newest Winter Olympic sport- and a credit to Snow Australia,” Australian Winter Olympic Team Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin AM OLY said.

“With Aussie athletes competing in these new sports, as well as the classics, Australia fortifies itself as a real Winter Olympic contender. The millions of Aussies who follow the Games are going to have such a diversity of winter sport to enjoy. 

“Seeing Lara make her Olympic debut literally gives me goosebumps. Lara has participated in so many sports throughout her life and put everything into making her Olympic dreams come true. 

“For Phil, qualifying for a fourth Games is an incredibly special feat. Very few athletes have enjoyed such longevity in the top echelons of their sport, let alone trying to qualify in two different sports. They are both truly inspiring Australians.” 

Snow Australia’s Bellingham will be just the second Australian and first man to compete in two Winter Olympic sports. Jenny Lyons (nee Owens) competed in Alpine Skiing in 2002, then in Freestyle Skiing (Ski Cross) in 2010 and 2014. 

“It means a lot to me to be named in another Olympic Team,” Bellingham said. 

"Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would compete at four Olympics so it's an absolute honour. 

Bellingham aspired to be the first athlete to compete for Australia in Ski Mountaineering- the newest Winter Olympic sport- with the 34-year-old acquiring new skills along the way. 

“The journey has been long and quite humbling. I had to go back to the beginning, work on the basics and rebuild myself from the ground up. But this process was also quite inspiring as I saw quick improvements and it was a new challenge on what I'd been doing for so long,” he said. 

Hamilton is an all-rounder who dreamt of going to the Olympics in Surfing, Athletics and Nordic Skiing before discovering Ski Mountaineering. 

“I’ve always loved pushing my limits,” Hamilton said. 

“It just so happened that I've truly fallen in love with SkiMo. I live for adventuring in the mountains; it makes me feel alive.”

Hamilton balances trail running, DJing and a side-hustle as a singer-songwriter with her Olympic pursuits. 

“There is no perfect balance here, but interestingly, they all complement each other,” Hamilton said. 

"In the winter, skiing is the priority, and trail running helps me maintain a higher training volume and adds to my fitness. My pursuits in music help fuel my training sessions, as I use it as a tool. They also add a creative element to my life, which is heavily focused on mountain sports.”

Ski Mountaineering combines elements of Cross Country, Alpine Skiing and Mountaineering. Athletes sprint uphill with skins on the bottom of their skis which grip to the snow. They then attach their skis to a special backpack, run a section of the course in boots, then turn their boots into downhill mode to race downhill like slalom skiers.

“It's both a fitness and skills-based sport, which is really interesting when you turn it into a knock-out style event,” Hamilton said of the Olympic sprint format. 

"It's really intense, which is awesome for the audience, and a real challenge for the athletes.”

The Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games start on February 6. Ski Mountaineering will be held at the Stelvio Ski Centre, at Bormio, over two days Friday 13 February (men’s sprint and women’s sprint) and Sunday 15 February (mixed relay). 

Athletes selected for Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Ski Mountaineering.