Beijing 2022Olympic sports
Fischer Sports Gmbh
With the Beijing Winter Olympics behind us, fans of cold weather sports can now look forward to upcoming events. In 2026 the Winter Olympics will return to Italy for the first time since Turin 2006, and will bring with it a new sport. This is ski mountaineering, which two years ago made its debut at the Youth Winter Olympics in Lausanne, and this year will be included for the first time in the program of the "adult" version of the games.
Friday 3 June 2022 4 minutes reading time
There are four years left before things get serious for spectators, fans and betting in Italy, but in the meantime it's worth starting to find out more about the sport. Not only because it will be present at the Olympics, but also because it is a discipline that puts participants to the test. Anyone who finishes a race or wins a medal undoubtedly deserves the utmost admiration. So let's see what there is to know about ski mountaineering and who could be the unexpected protagonist of Milan Cortina 2026.
What is ski touring?
Let's start with this question for the uninitiated. In short, the sport involves athletes climbing the side of a mountain to the starting point, carrying (and occasionally putting on) their skis before embarking on the descent to the finish. It is therefore a test of strength and speed at the same time, and will involve some of the strongest competitors in the 2026 Games. There will be five "skimo" events (or the abbreviation of the English name of the sport "ski mountaineering") at the Pista Stelvio, including a sprint, a 90-minute "downhill" and a mixed relay.
What's so difficult about ski touring?
In addition to the fact that athletes have to carry their skis and put them on quickly at specific times of the race, we must recognize that the course is designed to be tough. The climb takes place on difficult terrain, and even the descent puts a strain on the competitors. It is not at all similar to downhill skiing or slalom skiing, but more like off-piste skiing, except that it takes place in time. Those who place bets on Betfair and similar platforms will have to judge who seems best suited to tackle the speed and stamina required by the sport. This could be one of the most exciting events of the 2026 Olympics.
Who will fight for medals in 2026?
As we are only in 2022, it is early for a particularly accurate forecast. What we can say with some confidence is that the winners will likely come from countries like Switzerland, Italy, France and Spain, along with others. Thomas Bussard won men's downhill gold for Switzerland at the Youth Games, and his compatriot Caroline Ulrich won in the women's competition. Both also took home a second gold in the relay, while Italy did better in the sprints, winning gold and silver in the men's race (Rocco Baldini and Luca Tomasoni), and another silver in the women's race with Silvia Berra
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Social media engagement
Ultimi in Sport invernali
Ricco week-end in Cechia: Nicole Mastalli vince in super-g, Michael Bertagno in slalom dopo il dominio di Ales Knor
Sci d'erba: sulla pista di Obri Sud Javornik, triplo appuntamento FIS (e per la Junior Cup) partendo dalle gare veloci col timbro della lombarda, mentre in gigante comincia il dominio della nazionale di casa, con la chiusura odierna in slalom che parla azzurro in ambito maschile. Nel prossimo week-end le finali di Coppa del Mondo a Predaia, nel cuore del Trentino.
2