Ski mountaineering will become the first Winter Olympic sport to make a debut since 2002. Here's how to watch it.

The 2026 Games will feature just one new sport in the program: skimo. It follows in the IOC’s tradition of experimentation that has brought us several mainstays, as well as a few oddballs.

This sport will make its official Olympic debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, alongside seven other new competitions across existing disciplines.

There is a good reason why Courchevel, the star of the Trois Vallées, commands a premium over other ski resorts: everything is here in great quantity – from Michelin stars to karaoke bars – and

Ski mountaineering is a new sport in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy and mogul skiing, gets an additional twist; skiers now participate in pairs.

The sprint is a condensed, explosive version of long-format ski mountaineering races. It features core elements of the sport broken into four sections: an ascent, a diamond section, a portage and a descent.

How does a novice skimo competitor qualify for the Olympics? By trying everything. “She wins everything she shows up to."

Ski mountaineering originated not as an organized sport but as a means of survival. For thousands of years, people have worn skis due to the practical need to traverse mountainous or hilly terrain during the snowy winter months.