Ski Mountaineering - Competition

Competition

A Ski Mountaineering race is a timed event that follows an established trail through challenging winter alpine terrain while passing through a series of checkpoints. Racers climb and descend under their own power using backcountry skiing equipment and techniques. —USSMA

Competition ski mountaineering has military origins, the so-called military patrols, intended to test abilities of soldiers. The first civilian races took part in the 1920s. Better known were the Austrian "Mairennen" (May race) in Gosau or the "Geierlauf" (vulture run) in the Wattentaler Lizum. Combined ski mountaineering and shooting was an official event of the 1924 Winter Olympics, followed by demonstration events in 1928, 1936 and 1948.

Participants of military patrol teams consisting of an officer, NCO, and two runners, had to be on military duty during the games. Due to want of games observers' interest, it was declared to a demonstration event by the International Olympic Committee in 1926. These military patrol races are considered as predecessors of today's biathlon. It is planned by the Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme (UIAA), to make ski mountaineering by itself part of the 2018 Olympic Games.

After World War II, some alpine countries organized ski mountaineering competitions, especially in the 1990s France, Italy, Slovakia,Andorra and Switzerland, that founded also the Comité International du Ski-Alpinisme de Compétition (CISAC). Besides the Italian Mezzalama Trophy and the Swiss Patrouille des Glaciers with roots in the 1930s and 1940s, a third race was created in the 1980s, that belongs to the "big three of ski mountaineering" of today, called the Pierra Menta, carried out in France. The first European Cup was carried out in 1992 as well as the first European Championship.

Organization of international competition ski mountaineering events was sanctioned by the International Council for Ski Mountaineering Competitions (ISMC) of the UIAA from 1999 to 2008, the follow-on institution of the CISAC, and since 2008 by the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF), which emerged from the ISMC. The first official World Championships of the ISMC was carried out in 2002, but prior the 1975 Trofeo Mezzalama was held as a "World Championship of Ski Mountaineering" with the classes "Civilians", "Soldiers" and "Mountain guides". The first South American Ski Mountaineering Championship and the first Asian Championship were held in 2007. In 2012, the first edition of a North American Championship was carried out at the Crested Butte in Colorado from January 27 to January 29.

Ascents have to be mastered with affixed ski fells, that have to be removed for the descents and refixed for the following ascents. If courses include climbing tours or sections, that could only be mastered on foot, the racers have to carry their skis in their rucksacks. In many cases, ski mountaineering competitions include individual, team and relay as well as vertical races, sometimes also long-distance or sprint races.

Age classes:

• cadets (16–18 years)
• juniors (19–20 years)
• espoirs (21–23 years)
• seniors (> 23 years)