SkiMo Sprint Event & Camp in September

Snow Australia and Falls Creek Ski Lifts are excited to announce the scheduling of the first event Ski Mountaineering (SkiMo) Sprint event in Australia, to be held at Falls Creek on September 23. SkiMo is a new Winter Olympic sport that will be contested for the first time in Milano-Cortina 2026.

The event will be held in conjunction with a SkiMo Talent Development Camp, designed for aspiring SkiMo athletes interested to learn about the competitive demands and training methods of this sport.

A SkiMo Sprint event consists of a time trial against the clock followed by head-to-head knockout finals, similar to the cross country skiing Sprint format. A race course typically consists of four main sections separated by transition zones, with vertical climb of approximately 70m. Skinning sections require skiers to have skins on the bottom of their skis, bootpack sections must be covered on foot, and in the final descent skiers must ski through gates similar to a giant slalom. For the fastest racers a Sprint may take around 3-4 minutes.

As this is the first event to be held in Australia and specific SkiMo equipment may be difficult to obtain, normal equipment requirements are being relaxed. Any skis with metal edges and a retention device may be used (the lighter the better). Alpine Touring (AT) boots are recommended. Competitors must use skins and wear a helmet and backpack during the event. More information is available on the event registration page.

Snow Australia is seeking expressions of interest for the Talent Development Camp, which will take place at Falls Creek from September 21-23. The camp will be led by a SkiMo international expert and include skills and transition training, training education, and equipment demos.

Snow Australia members interested in keeping up to date with SkiMo news can add SkiMo to their communication preferences by emailing to info@snow.org.au.