Every Olympics brings a new sport to spark our interest. The Games appear to be constantly expanding. In winter sports, curling returned as a medal event after a 74-year hiatus at the 1998 Nagano Games—where snowboarding also made its debut. Slopestyle and halfpipe freeskiing were added to the program in 2014 at Sochi. For the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, welcome (or “skimo”), the only new sport at this year’s Games.

Here’s what you need to know about .    

What is skimo?

Ski mountaineering blends the challenges of ascending a snowy mountain on skis with the speed and technical skill required to ski back down faster than opponents. It’s an emerging sport with competitions held across Europe. While navigating snowy, hilly terrain has been necessary since prehistoric times, and recreational backcountry skiing gained popularity in the 19th century, the first independent legal governing body for skimo——was founded in 2007.

How does the Olympic competition work?

First thing to note: skimo is a race! So it’s fundamentally easy to follow, with plenty of room for drama. No subjective judging or confusing scores. No solo timed runs that might bore audiences, unlike alpine skiing or long-track speedskating.

The Olympics will host three skimo events. On Feb. 19, the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio will hold the men’s and women’s sprint competitions. Each field has 18 athletes, racing in three heats of six: the top three from each heat, plus the three fastest non-automatic qualifiers, advance to the semifinals. In the two semifinals (each with six athletes), the top two from each race plus the two fastest “lucky losers” make it to the six-person final.

“People are fighting for position,” says Sarah Cookler, head of sport for USA Skimo. “There’s a lot of jostling. There’s aggressive skiing, even on the uphill.”

Sprint competitors must race up the mountain then back down. They start with skis fitted with grippy “skins” on the bottom to prevent sliding backward while ascending. For part of the climb, athletes remove their skis, attach them to their backpacks, and continue on foot. They put skis back on to finish the uphill. The total ascent is 230 feet.

Before descending, Olympians enter a designated transition area to remove skins from their skis and adjust gear for the downhill. Skiers who stray too far from the zone face a penalty. “Most backcountry skiers reach the top, sit down, have tea, and eat a snack,” Cookler says. “Ten minutes later, they take their gear off. These athletes do this hypoxically—in less than six seconds—then race down a set course.”

Skiers must pass through gates on the descent to avoid more penalties. The first to finish wins. Each sprint race takes about two and a half to three minutes.

A mixed relay will be held on Feb. 21, the penultimate day of Olympic competition. Twelve teams from 12 countries participate, each with one female and one male athlete. The race uses a longer course than the sprints, with two ascents and two descents. Athletes use skis with skins for the entire first uphill section but only part of the second ascent. Each relay member completes two laps in alternating order: the woman starts, tags the man for the second lap, and the cycle repeats. The mixed relay takes about 30 minutes.

Who are the favorites?

Cookler says athletes from France, Switzerland, and Spain are the ones to watch. In the women’s sprint, France’s Emily Harrop is a contender, and Switzerland’s Marianne Fatton is the reigning world champion. Spain’s Oriol Cardona Coll, France’s Thibault Anselmet, and Switzerland’s Jon Kistler are threats in the men’s race. Harrop and Anselmet teamed to win the mixed relay at the world championships in March.

Are there any American athletes competing?

At a last-chance qualifier in December in Utah, the U.S. team of Anna Gibson and Cameron Smith needed to finish ahead of Canada in the mixed-relay event to secure Olympic spots. Gibson and Smith did better: they became the a mixed-relay skimo World Cup race. (Canada finished sixth.) Smith has raced since 2014 and is an 11-time U.S. Ski Mountaineering national champion. a professional mountain runner from Wyoming, was making her World Cup debut. One race. One Olympic trip. Not bad for a rookie.

“We’re not a top-three team on paper,” says Smith. “But we’ve shown we can shock the world.”