Skimo — short for ski mountaineering — combines punishing uphill efforts with fast, technical downhills. ‘‘It offers the perfect combination of grueling climbs and exhilarating descents,’’ says Tatjana Paller, the 30-year-old German who finished fourth in the Olympic sprint and will race the mixed team event. A former junior track cyclist, Paller only took up skimo in 2020 but already won bronze in the sprint at last year’s World Championships in Morgins, Switzerland.
Paller sees connections between cycling and skimo: ‘Endurance sports are endurance sports. You either have a motor, or you don’t. But ski mountaineering is even more strenuous. At least you’re sitting down when you’re cycling.’
What skimo is and why it’s growing
Skimo is the competitive offshoot of ski touring, a pastime that has surged in popularity across the Alps as lift tickets have climbed. The German Alpine Club (DAV) estimates more than 600,000 ski tourers in Germany today — more than three times the number around 2000. Traditional ski touring means skinning up without lifts and skiing ungroomed terrain down; many modern tourers also climb along piste edges and descend prepared slopes.
Equipment basics
Bindings and skins: Skimo skis use special bindings that let the heel lift for ascents and lock down for descents like alpine bindings. To prevent backward slipping while skinning, climbers attach ‘‘skins’’ to the bases — made of synthetic or natural fibers — either glued on or self-adhesive. Hybrid skins combine good grip with fast attachment and removal, and are popular in sprint and relay events.
Light, narrow skis: Race skis are extremely light — typically 700–800 grams each — carried on the back during mandatory carry sections. They’re narrower than alpine skis but wider than cross-country skis, about 6.5 cm at the waist. Minimum lengths are 1.50 m for women and 1.60 m for men.
Paller on gear: ‘‘I use hybrid skins for the sprint and mixed relay because you can peel them off quickly,’’ she says. Athletes practice transitions to remove or attach skins in seconds — a race can be won or lost in those moments.
Race formats contested at the Olympics
The Olympic program in Bormio features the sprint and the mixed relay — the two fastest disciplines — while the longer distance events are not (yet) included.
Sprint: The sprint course in Bormio is about 610 meters with roughly 70 meters of elevation gain. A typical sprint heat includes:
– an ascent on skis
– a carrying section (athletes strap skis to their backs and climb stairs or steep ramps)
– a short second ascent
– a final descent with gates set similar to a giant slalom
One lap takes roughly 2:30–3:30. Heats feature six athletes, with the two fastest advancing to the next round. Quick transitions and tactical positioning are critical.
Mixed relay: Teams consist of one woman and one man who alternate laps, each completing two laps. Besides raw speed, the relay demands strategy and teamwork. ‘‘We push each other really well,’’ says Paller of her relay partnership with 23-year-old Finn Hösch. ‘‘It’s a different kind of pressure when you know you’re affecting the team’s result, not just your own.’’
Other skimo disciplines (not in the current Olympic program)
– Individual: The longest format, with up to about 1,900 meters of vertical gain and multiple ascents and descents.
– Vertical: A single long ascent with no downhill section.
Paller notes the irony that the sport’s traditional, longer formats are the ones some athletes miss at the Olympics: ‘‘The original form of ski mountaineering is the longer one. That’s why I can understand everyone who misses distance competitions in the Olympic program. But for us, it was a stroke of luck that the sprint competitions were chosen.’’
Short history
Skimo’s origins trace back more than a century and to military patrol events that resembled team biathlon and appeared at the 1924 Winter Olympics. Modern competitive skimo has been organized more recently: the first World Championships were held in 2002 and the World Cup launched in 2004.
Will skimo stick as an Olympic sport? With growing participation in ski touring and the spectator-friendly, fast-paced sprint and relay formats, inclusion at future Winter Games (including potential 2030 Alpine Games) looks plausible, though not guaranteed.
In short: skimo tests endurance, speed, technical skiing and lightning-fast transitions, and its mix of climbing and descent makes it one of the most demanding and dramatic winter sports to watch.