Ski mountaineering set to debut at Olympics. What is it?

There’s a new sport at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, and it could provide one country a path to winning its first gold medal at the Winter Games in more than 50 years.

Spain’s Oriol Cardona Coll will be one of the favorites when ski mountaineering makes its Olympic debut next week, with a chance to end a drought that dates back to 1972. Ski mountaineering will be the first new sport introduced to the Winter Olympics since skeleton in 2002 and snowboarding in 1998, and other neighboring countries along the Alps like France and Switzerland are also considered medal contenders in the event.

Here’s more on the newest sport at the 2026 Winter Olympics, as well as a full schedule for the ski mountaineering events taking place at the Milan Cortina Games and how to watch:

When does ski mountaineering start at 2026 Winter Olympics?

The three ski mountaineering events take place over two days beginning on Thursday, Feb. 19 near the end of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The women’s and men’s sprint events will occur on Feb. 19 and the mixed relay is slated for Saturday, Feb. 21. All races will take place at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio, Italy.

What is ski mountaineering?

Also known as ‘skimo,’ ski mountaineering is a combination of two skiing skillsets. It combines backcountry and downhill skiing through rugged terrain, navigating the strength and cardiovascular endurance for ascents on foot and higher-speed descents more akin to a typical skiing race. The races occur in stages and it has been recognized as a sport by the IOC since 2016.

There will be a men’s sprint race, a women’s sprint and a mixed relay at the 2026 Winter Games. Anna Gibson and Cameron Smith will represent the United States in the mixed relay. Olympic organizers noted the sport is particularly popular in Italy with roots in the Alps before ski lifts.

‘Athletes begin the race with skis attached, then remove them and place them on their backpacks to tackle a set of steps,’ according to the Winter Olympics description of the event. ‘The final stage involves a further ascent on skis before the skins are removed for the descent to the finish line. There are various elimination rounds in the lead-up to the final, in which medals are awarded. The normal duration of the race is about 3.5 minutes per heat.

‘The mixed relay consists of two ascents plus a section on foot with skis attached to the backpack for each ascent and two descents.’

2026 Winter Olympics ski mountaineering schedule

All times Eastern

Thursday, February 19

• Women’s sprint heats, 3:50 a.m.
• Men’s sprint heats, 4:30 a.m.
• Women’s sprint semifinals, 6:55 a.m.
• Men’s sprint semifinals, 7:25 a.m.
• Women’s sprint final, 7:55 a.m.
• Men’s sprint final, 8:15 a.m.

Saturday, February 21

• Mixed relay, 7:30 a.m.

How to watch ski mountaineering at 2026 Winter Olympics: TV, streaming

The ski mountaineering qualifying heats and medal races will be broadcast nationally on USA Network and are available via live stream on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.

Watch 2026 Olympics with Peacock