| Ski mountaineering at the Winter Olympics | |
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| Events | 3 (men: 1; women: 1; mixed: 1) |
| Games | |
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The 2026 Winter Olympics will include the sport of ski mountaineering for the first time. [1] There will be three medal events: men's and women's sprint and a mixed relay. [2] Two additional events, the men's and women's individual, were proposed but not approved for the final program. [3] [4]
Prior to becoming part of the Olympic Games, ski mountaineering was held at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics. [3]
The Winter Olympic Games is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held in Chamonix, France. The modern Olympic Games were inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BC to 394 AD. The Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) 1,500 years later in 1894, leading to the first modern Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 1896. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority. The original five Winter Olympic Sports were bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, Nordic skiing, and skating. The Games were held every four years from 1924 to 1936, interrupted in 1940 and 1944 by World War II, and resumed in 1948. Until 1992, the Summer Olympic Games and the Winter Olympic Games were held in the same year. A decision to change this was made in 1986, when during the 91st International Olympic Committee session, IOC members decided to alternate the Summer Olympic Games and the Winter Olympic Games on separate four-year cycles in even-numbered years. Also, at that same congress it was decided that 1992 Winter Olympics would be the last to be held in the same year as the Summer Games and that to change the rotation, the edition that would be held in 1996 would be brought forward by two years, being scheduled to 1994. After this edition, the next one was to be held in 1998 when the 4-year Olympic Cycle resumed.
Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in cross-country skiing and ski jumping. The Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics has been held since the first Winter Olympics in 1924, while the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup has been held since 1983. Many Nordic combined competitions use the Gundersen method, where placement in the ski jumping segment results in time (dis)advantages added to the contestant's total in the cross-country skiing segment.
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially the XX Olympic Winter Games and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February in Turin, Italy. This marked the second time Italy had hosted the Winter Olympics, the first being in 1956 in Cortina d'Ampezzo; Italy had also hosted the Summer Olympics in 1960 in Rome.
The 1956 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VII Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956, was a multi-sport event held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from 26 January to 5 February 1956.
Ski mountaineering is a skiing discipline that involves climbing mountains either on skis or carrying them, depending on the steepness of the ascent, and then descending on skis. There are two major categories of equipment used, free-heel Telemark skis and skis based on Alpine skis, where the heel is free for ascents, but is fixed during descent. The discipline may be practiced recreationally or as a competitive sport.
Olympic sports are sports that are contested in the Summer Olympic Games and Winter Olympic Games. The 2020 Summer Olympics included 33 sports; the 2022 Winter Olympics included seven sports. Each Olympic sport is represented at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by an international governing body called an International Federation (IF).
Military patrol is a team winter sport in which athletes compete in cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Formerly ski mountaineering was also part of the sport. It is usually contested between countries or military units.
Skeleton is a winter sport featured in the Winter Olympics where the competitor rides head-first and prone on a flat sled. It is normally run on an ice track that allows the sled to gain speed by gravity. It was first contested at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz and again in 1948 Winter Olympics, after which it was discontinued as an Olympic sport.
The 2022 Winter Olympics, officially called the XXIV Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Beijing 2022 (北京2022), were an international winter multi-sport event held from 4 to 20 February 2022 in Beijing, China, and surrounding areas with competition in selected events beginning 2 February 2022. It was the 24th edition of the Winter Olympic Games.
The World Championships of Ski Mountaineering are biannually held ski mountaineering competitions.
The 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games, officially known as the III Winter Youth Olympic Games and commonly known as Lausanne 2020, were the third edition of the Winter Youth Olympics; a major international multi-sport event and cultural festival for teenagers that was held in Lausanne, Switzerland, the home of the International Olympic Committee, between 9 and 22 January 2020.
The International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) is the international governing body responsible for Ski mountaineering competitions. Its main aims are promotion, regulation, and development of Ski mountaineering worldwide. In 2026 the sport will be part of the programme of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially the XXV Olympic Winter Games and also known as Milano-Cortina 2026, is an upcoming international multi-sport event scheduled to take place from 6 to 22 February 2026 in the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The joint bid from the two cities beat another joint bid from Swedish cities Stockholm–Åre by 47–34 votes at the 134th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 24 June 2019.
The 2026 Winter Paralympics, commonly known as Milano-Cortina 2026, is an international winter multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities, scheduled to take place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from 6 to 15 March. The election was held on 24 June 2019 at the 134th IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, home of the IOC headquarters. Milan-Cortina were elected as hosts, defeating Stockholm-Åre.
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2021 were held from 8–21 February in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. In May 2020, the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) and the event organizing committee asked the International Ski Federation (FIS) to postpone the event until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the request was rejected by FIS, and the organizers then moved forward with plans for 2021.
The 2025 FISU Winter World University Games, also known as the XXXII Winter World University Games, or the 32nd Winter Universiade, and commonly known as Turin 2025 or Torino 2025, is a multi-sport event scheduled from Jan. 13-23, 2025, in Turin, Italy. The Piedmontese capital was confirmed as the host city for the games on 15 May 2021. This will be the 12th time in the history that the event will be held in Italy after occurring for the seventh time after the most recent 2019 Summer Universiade held in Naples.
Norway competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022. The Norwegian team consisted of 84 athletes. Kjetil Jansrud and Kristin Skaslien were the country's flagbearers during the opening ceremony. Biathlete Marte Olsbu Røiseland was the flag bearer during the closing ceremony.
Italy competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022. With Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo being the host of the 2026 Winter Olympics, an Italian segment was performed at the closing ceremony.
Austria competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.
| Summer sports |
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| Winter sports | |
| 2024 addition | |
| 2026 addition | |
| 2028 additions | |
| Past sports | |
| Demonstration sports | |
| Unofficial sports |
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