Ski Mountaineering makes historic Winter Olympic debut in Bormio tomorrow

After years of anticipation, Ski Mountaineering is stepping onto the Olympic stage for the very first time with its debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. This Thursday, the slopes of Bormio will host the sport’s most explosive and dynamic discipline — the Sprint. Athletes from around the world will push the limits of speed, endurance, and technical skill, racing not just for medals but to etch their names into history as the first-ever Olympic champions in Ski Mountaineering.

A compact and powerful field of 18 women and 18 men representing 14 nations will compete. The morning will feature qualifying heats, followed by high-pressure semi-finals and finals in the early afternoon, where the first Ski Mountaineering Olympic medals will be awarded.

After Thursday's explosive Sprint, athletes will have two days to recover prior to the second medal-awarding discipline, Mixed Relay.

Fourteen nations have qualified athletes for this historic debut. Participating countries include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, the USA and one Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN).

Program
Thursday 18 February 2026
09:50h: Women’s Heats
10:30h: Men’s Heats
12:55h: Women’s Semifinals
13:25h: Men’s Semifinals
13:55h: Women’s Final & Medal Ceremony
14:15h: Men’s Final & Medal Ceremony

Saturday 21 February 2026
13:30h: Mixed Relay Final

Women's Sprint Heats
Heat 1 (09:50)
Rebeka Cully Slovakia (SVK)
Caroline Ulrich Switzerland (SUI)
Emily Harrop France (FRA)
Tatjana Paller Germany (GER)
Ida Waldal Norway (NOR)
Anna Gibson USA (USA)

Heat 2 (10:00)
Alba de Silvestro Italy (ITA)
Marianna Jagercikova Slovakia (SVK)
Marianne Fatton Switzerland (SUI)
Margot Ravinel France (FRA)
Johanna Hiemer Austria (AUT)
Lara Hamilton Australia (AUS)

Heat 3 (10:10)
Cidan Yuzhen China (CHN)
Maria Costa Diez Spain (ESP)
Ana Alonso Rodriguez Spain (ESP)
Giulia Murada Italy (ITA)
Iwona Januszyk Poland (POL)
Helena Euringer Germany (GER)

Men's Sprint Heats
Heat 1 (10:30)
Bu Luer China (CHN)
Pablo Giner Dalmasso France (FRA)
Oriol Cardona Coll Spain (ESP)
Ot Ferrer Martinez Spain (ESP)
Paul Verbajak Austria (AUT)
Michele Boscacci Italy (ITA)

Heat 2 (10:40)
Cameron Smith USA (USA)
Nikita Filippov Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN)
Jon Kistler Switzerland (SUI)
Maximilien Drion du Chapois Belgium (BEL)
Trym Dalset Lodoen Norway (NOR)
Phillip Bellingham Australia (AUS)

Heat 3 (10:50)
Jan Elantkowski Poland (POL)
Hans-Inge Klette Norway (NOR)
Arno Lietha Switzerland (SUI)
Thibault Anselmet France (FRA)
Finn Hoesch Germany (GER)
Jakub Siarnik Slovakia (SVK)

Sprint Race Track
The Sprint competition will take place on a course largely identical to the one used for the 2025 test event, providing a familiar yet grueling layout at the foot of the Stelvio. The track features roughly 70 meters of vertical gain and is designed to challenge athletes for approximately three intense minutes.

From the start, athletes face a steep 100-meter climb leading into the first “diamond” section, where positioning will be critical. The second diamond section follows closely, demanding power and tactical awareness for those looking to gain an advantage. After this, the course transitions to a slightly flatter section with a 10% gradient, before reaching a key 10-meter vertical push—one of the most decisive parts of the track, where gaps are likely to form.

Next, competitors face a 20% slope over a 100-meter section before the final transitions. Skins are removed for the downhill portion, which includes a series of challenging turns, parabolic bends, and jump leading directly to the finish line, where athletes are expected to arrive at high speed.