In ski mountaineering, often referred to as “skimo”, competitors ski uphill and downhill and use mountaineering abilities to race through snow-covered mountains.
Roots of Ski Mountaineering
Skiing can be traced to prehistoric times, due to man’s necessity to move over hilly and mountainous terrain in an effective way during the snowy winter months. Archaeologists have discovered images that depict figures moving across snow on what appear to be wooden skis, and paintings from the Middle Ages indicate the use of “skins” for snow covered ascents. Furthermore, wooden planks of varying sizes and shapes have been discovered preserved in peat bogs in Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway. Ski mountaineering originated in Europe, with German Wilhelm Paulcke’s 1897 completion of the first alpine traverse — crossing the Bernese Oberland on skis — considered to be the start of modern ski mountaineering. Originally, there were animal skins, which at the beginning of the twentieth century became only seal skins and nowadays are synthetic.
Going Global
The discipline is growing in popularity across the world in recent years, counting international events taking place in many countries, such as Switzerland, France, Italy, North America, South America, Russia, Scandinavia, China, South Korea and Japan. The first World Championships for ski mountaineering were held in 2002 in France and now this kind of international event is organised every two years alternatively with the Continental Championships. Furthermore, a World Cup circuit is set up every year with a minimum of five stages. Starting from the 2020-2021 season, and for the years to come, a World Championship Long Distance and a Masters World Championship will be organised. There are currently 38 member national federations of the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) belonging to three different continents (Europe, Asia and America).The ski mountaineering discipline attracts athletes from a range of backgrounds, including cyclists, swimmers, runners, hikers and mountaineers.
Geared Up
In ski mountaineering, athletes carry their equipment as they ski and climb icy rock faces all while navigating courses ascending up to nearly 2,000m and more in elevation. Depending on the race, competitors’ equipment can include ice axes, harnesses, ropes, crampons, a survival blanket, snow probe and an avalanche detector. Additionally, athletes use light skis fitted with rubber membranes called “skins” that keep them from sliding backwards, and boots with quick-snap fasteners to easily adapt to ascending or descending terrain.
Olympic History
The International Ski Mountaineering Federation was recognised as a provisional Olympic Federation in 2014 and then as an official Federation in August 2016. Afterwards, in July 2017, the IOC announced ski mountaineering would join the Youth Olympic Games programme for the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020. At the discipline’s debut, 48 athletes coming from 16 different countries competed across three specialties: Individual race, Sprint race and Mixed Relay race. The first one began with a mass start and showcased athletes’ endurance through three gruelling ascents and as many descents. In the three-to-four-minute Sprint competition, skiers ascended and descended about 80 metres. From the top, they glided down a giant slalom-like course, then raced to the finish in a skating style. The Mixed Relay specialty combined nationalities and genders to feature 11 teams of four athletes (two women and two men).
