Ski Mountaineering Set to Debut at Winter Olympics 2026 on February 19

Ski mountaineering (the only completely new sport added to the Winter Olympics in decades) will make its official debut at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games from February 19 to February 21, 2026, at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio, Italy. This marks the first time the demanding discipline will be contested for Olympic medals.

The debut schedule places ski mountaineering well into the second week of the Olympics – after the official start of the Games on February 6, 2026 – with sprint races for both men and women on February 19 and a mixed relay on February 21.

It Represents an Historic Olympic Addition

Approved by the IOC in 2021, ski mountaineering elevates a sport previously featured only at youth and world cup levels to full Olympic status. Competitors climb uphill using specialised skins and skis, briefly shed gear during steep sections, then race back down the mountain. It’s a sport that tests both endurance and technical skill.

The event will award three medals: a men’s sprint, a women’s sprint, and a mixed relay in which teams of one woman and one man from each nation alternate legs across the course. Italy, with a strong tradition in competitive ski mountaineering, is expected to be among the medal contenders.

Ski mountaineering’s addition broadens Milano-Cortina’s programme, which officially runs from February 6 to February 22, 2026, with some competitions starting before the opening ceremony.