Olympics
Ski mountaineering (or “skimo”) is officially returning to the Alps Olympics in 2030 with additional individual competitions.
On June 25, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released the official program for the 2030 Games, which included some exciting new additions like freeriding and Synchro9 synchronized figure skating. Also on the program is skimo, which made its Olympic debut at the 2026 Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy. Though it had to fight an uphill battle to get there, skimo is officially on the ticket and adding on to its 2026 showcase.
In ski mountaineering, athletes race up the mountains on lightweight skis equipped with skins for traction, before removing the skins and skiing back down. The sport combines the endurance and fitness of cross-country skiing with the turning and technical aspects of alpine skiing.
Adding Meaningful Value to the Games
Before its official inclusion in the program, skimo went on a years-long journey to earn its Olympic spot. It first needed approval from the IOC Executive Board, followed by a proposal from the 2030 French Alps Games Organizing Committee. Following the Olympic Program Working Group’s review of the proposal, the group ultimately accepted it.
-
1How a Young Norwegian Couple Who Live in a Van is Changing the Way We Look at Steep Skiing → -
2Ski Mountaineering to Expand for 2030 Olympics Inclusion →
-
3Catastrophic Ski Injuries: Why Fewer Skier Visits Aren't Making Slopes Safer →
-
4Nevados de Chillan Fire Out Of Control — Resort Closed Tomorrow →
-
5Verbier Retires Switzerland’s Oldest Gondola After 56 Years →
According to Olympic Program Working Group Chair Karl Stoss, skimo added “meaningful value” to the program with “its established presence in alpine regions.” The sport has also shown the “ability to enhance diversity, authenticity and appeal, while building on its growing Olympic momentum,” Stoss said.
Building On its 2026 Debut
In 2026, skimo featured men’s and women’s sprints and a mixed-gender relay. Spain and France dominated, both medaling in each of the three events.
The 2030 Games will include the three original competitions, alongside men’s and women’s individual races. With the inclusion of individual races, spectators will be able to watch much more of the sport than they were able to in 2026. Sprint races are typically over in the span of minutes, but individual races can occasionally last multiple hours. They tend to be more intense as well, adding to the overall energy the sport brings.
“The individual races really show what the sport is,” International Ski Mountaineering Federation President Regula Meier said in a Park Record article.
Fast Turnaround for Skimo Officials
For Meier and other skimo officials, it was a combination of happiness and relief when the official program announcement went live. Officials worked hard to promote the sport and propel it into the Olympic spotlight. Olympic inclusion has also boosted the sport’s participation, which has doubled since 2021 when it was declared an Olympic sport.
The turnaround was quick for the International Ski Mountaineering Federation to send in its proposal for the 2030 Games. They had just over a month between finishing their Olympic debut and preparing for a 2030 Olympics push.
“Milano finished in the middle of February, and one month later at the end of March, the organizing committee had to send the proposal to the IOC,” Meier told Park Record.
But the hard work of the Federation paid off in the long run, as skimo athletes continue to prepare for their second shot at Olympic glory. Skimo at the 2030 Olympics will be held in Montgenèvre, France, just five hours from Bormio, Italy, where the sport made its 2026 debut.
