Brian Lichi: SkiMo set to reach the Summit at Winter Olympics

Ski Mountaineering, often called SkiMo, is a brutal test of endurance, strategy and mountain skill and in 2026, SkiMo will make its Winter Olympics debut. 

Athletes race across steep alpine terrain, climbing uphill on skis fitted with skins before ripping them off and charging back downhill at speed.

The sport combines relentless climbs, technical descents and rapid transitions, rewarding competitors who can move efficiently under extreme physical strain. With roots in alpine adventure racing, SkiMo brings a raw, back-to-the-mountain feel to the Olympic program and showcases some of the fittest athletes in winter sport.

We sat down with Snow Australia SkiMo Chair, Brian Lichi, to preview the innovative event’s inclusion at Milano Cortina. 

What makes SkiMo unique?

“The uniqueness of SkiMo comes from its ability to blend the pure challenge other Winter Olympic events have to offer,” Lichi said. 

“In a SkiMo race athletes have to put out the same amount of power and endurance needed in a Cross Country race, but in an uphill capacity. They need the technical proficiency in each transition that Aerials and Moguls would be focused on and finally the downhill capacity of Alpine as they race to the finish.”

A SkiMo Sprint and Mixed Relay can be won or lost in a few key areas, and Lichi believes this could make the difference in the race for the medals. 

“Each transition zone, whether it be from Skin-Bootpack, Bootpack-Skin, Skin-Ski or Ski-Skin, is an opportunity to either gain crucial seconds or lose seconds with each mistake.

“Further to this the bootpack, or stair climb, is an opportunity for truly the strongest athletes to separate themselves from the pack. 

“Finally, the downhill… there is a saying in SkiMo where races are won in the uphill and lost in the downhill, so focus and precision is crucial to ensure a smooth and fast downhill.”

Every SkiMo event is different and largely defined by the venue. The Milano–Cortina course will provide opportunities for the endurance athletes to prosper. 

“The course in Bormio, where both SkiMo events will take place, provides an opportunity for athletes with bigger engines and leg speed to really shine,” he said. 

“The sharp icy slopes mean that if an athlete is able to put a lot of power down quickly, they are able to gain critical seconds early in the race. 

“Along with this the downhill, with its slightly banked turns, means that strong downhill technique will make a big difference.”

Who are the athletes or nations to watch?

“The two biggest nations to look out for in both the Sprint and Mixed Relay will be France and Spain,” said Lichi.

“France boast probably the strongest mixed pair in Thibault Anselmet and Emily Harrop, both will also be favourites in the Sprint. But the Spanish athlete Oriol Cardona Coll is easily the strongest male in both fields. 

Along with Harrop, France will also field a young up and comer in Margot Ravinel who will be right up there. The two Swiss females Marianne Fatton and Caroline Ulrich will also be among the top women. 

Are there any rising stars or outsiders who could surprise? 

“The three biggest outsiders to look out for would be Maximillien Drion from Belgium, Nikita Filippov from the Independent Neutral Athletes and Ida Waldal from Norway. 

“These are strong athletes who have represented their smaller teams really well across the years and have gotten podium spots in previous World Cup events.”

What rivalries or storylines should fans keep an eye on? 

“The back and forth between France, Spain and Switzerland in the Mixed Relay has been front and centre for years and will be key in the Gold medal race. 

“Another big question is whether anyone can beat Emily Harrop in the women's race. Marianne Fatton beat Emily at World Champs last year and that battle will be an amazing one to watch.” 

What would a “perfect performance” look like in Milano–Cortina? 

“For our Aussie team, Phil Bellingham and Lara Hamilton, a top 10 place in the Mixed Relay would be amazing. 

“With the uniqueness of the sport and its rich history in Europe, Australia achieving a top 10 would really cement us on the world stage.”

What would make these Olympics memorable for SkiMo? 

“I think legitimising the sport on the world stage would be amazing. These are genuinely some of the strongest athletes, competing in what is possibly the hardest winter sport and seeing them on the world stage will be amazing.”

After Milano–Cortina, how do you see SkiMo continuing to evolve? 

“SkiMo is such a big multifaceted sport and seeing it grow on the world stage would be amazing. 

“The Sprint and Mixed Relay is only a small part and moving forward it would be great to see an individual race, which is the premium SkiMo event, make its way into the 2030 Winter Olympic Games. 

“Within Australia it would be amazing to see the sport continue to grow especially on a grassroots level with more youth athletes seeing SkiMo as an opportunity to not only represent Australia but also explore our amazing mountain environments.”