It’s a special season that opens, Saturday December 14, in Courchevel (Savoie) on the occasion of the first stage of the Ski Mountaineering World Cup, the competition version of ski touring. Still confidential, this discipline – alternating vigorous climbs on “seal skins” (or on foot with skis on the back) and descents – will see its athletes compete for precious Olympic spots during the winter. In 2026, ski mountaineering will in fact be integrated as an additional sport at the Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, and will therefore be included for the first time in the Winter Olympics program.
Despite this new status, fans of this sport are questioning the merits of this entry into the Olympics. The fault of the formats chosen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The main event of the individual, a hilly race of around an hour and fifteen minutes in the middle of the mountains, was left aside, like the dry climb specific to the vertical race. The two specialties selected, a sprint of two to three minutes and its mixed relay, will take place at the foot of the Stelvio track in Bormio, on an obstacle course identical to that of the rest of the year. The idea? Simplify logistics and favor a dynamic show for better television results.
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