Finnish skimo racer sees Olympic potential in new alpine skiing discipline

Finland could excel in the new Olympic sport of skimo, also known as ski mountaineering, according to Teija Laukka, competition director for the Finnish national championships in the discipline.

The sport, which made its Olympic debut at the Milano-Cortina Games, combines uphill climbing using specialized skins attached to skis with downhill skiing. Laukka believes Finland’s strong cross-country skiing tradition and the new Olympic status could help propel Finnish athletes to the top of the sport.

The second Finnish national championships in skimo will be held Saturday in Pallas, a fell area in Finnish Lapland. The event remains small-scale, with the sport still in its early stages in Finland. “There’s definitely potential, especially from the cross-country side,” Laukka said. “Once the sport gains visibility and interest, people will start training seriously. There’s no reason we couldn’t be among the world’s best.”

Skimo, or ski mountaineering, is an endurance sport where athletes ascend using climbing skins and descend on lightweight skis. In Olympic sprint events, the uphill sections are essentially run at high speed. Required equipment includes skis, poles, climbing skins, a single ski boot, helmet, goggles, and avalanche safety gear: a shovel, probe, and transceiver.

Longer races in natural terrain allow participants to choose their own routes, while shorter Olympic-style races and resort-based competitions follow precisely marked courses. If there’s a risk of getting lost, even longer routes are marked.

The lightweight racing skis make skiing easier but downhill sections challenging, Laukka noted. “It’s not pretty to watch compared to powder skiing on sturdier skis. The goal is just to get down fast—no style points here.”

Saturday’s national championships in Pallas feature a seven-lap course near Pallas Hotel, totaling nearly 20 kilometers with 1,390 meters of elevation gain. The fastest competitors are expected to finish in just over two hours. The event is open to both competitive skimo racers and enthusiasts, who can opt for shorter three- or five-lap routes.

Laukka, who has competed in skimo herself, sees the Olympic inclusion as a potential boost for the sport in Finland. Interest in backcountry ski touring has also grown, which could increase participation in races. She emphasizes that Finland’s ski resorts offer good training opportunities, with uphill skiing possible wherever there are slopes. Summer trail running builds a strong base for the sport.

While traditional ski touring involves longer routes in natural settings, the Olympic sprint format—a roughly three-minute burst of skiing, running, and descending—is designed to be accessible and exciting for spectators. Laukka compares the shift to climbing’s Olympic debut, where the competition format differed significantly from traditional climbing. “It’s important for the Olympics that the sport is easy to follow and inspiring. Skimo sprinting is fast, dynamic, and packed with action,” she said.