Skialpinists at the start – SkiMo at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
Last year, a decision was made to include ski mountaineering (also SkiMo – from ski mountaineering) in the program of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. This is an important moment for the ski mountaineering community – the statute of the Olympic sport is inseparable from the promotion of the sport, the growth of its popularity, training facilities and expertise. As history shows, it also changes its face a bit, but this is a topic for a separate discussion.
An old forerunner of SkiMo (as well as biathlon) can be considered a discipline called military patrol, which was played officially at the 1924 Winter Olympics, and later, in 1928, 1936 and 1948, as a demonstration discipline.
In 2026 in Bormio skialpinists will compete in three disciplines: individual events, sprints and relay (mixed teams here). A total of five gold medals will be awarded. 24 male and 24 female athletes will participate in the competition.
Learn about the different variations of backcountry skiing and our skitouring guide:
