Ski Mountaineering included in the programme of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin
Media Information
Ski Mountaineering included in the programme of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin
Lausanne, 23 October 2023 – The Olympic Council of Asia has announced that Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) will be included in the programme of the 9th Asian Winter Games to be held in Harbin, China in 2025. The six sports that will be present at the Games will be Biathlon, Curling, Ice Hockey, Skating, Skiing and Skimo.
“We are absolutely delighted with this news. The inclusion of Ski Mountaineering on the Asian Winter Games programme marks a significant step forward in the recognition and promotion of our sport in the Asian region and the Olympic ecosystem”, said ISMF President, Regula Meier. “This addition not only diversifies the range of winter sports at the Games, but also underscores the growing popularity of Ski Mountaineering in the last few years”, she explained.
Ski Mountaineering was represented at the Youth Olympic Games held in Lausanne in 2020, but it will be at the next Olympic Winter Games, Milano Cortina 2026, where Skimo will make its official Olympic debut, with three medals to be awarded: sprint men, sprint women and mixed relay.
In Harbin, there will be men’s and women’s events across all six sports, as well as mixed events in specific disciplines. Even though the programme for the number of medal events has not been decided yet.
The ISMF is dedicated to advancing the sport’s growth and exposure. Inclusion in major multi-sport Games hosted globally opens up greater opportunities for athletes, sponsors, organizers, national federations, and the entire Skimo community.
This decision follows Ski Mountaineering’s approval as a recognized sport of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), and inclusion in the sport programmes of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the European Youth Olympic Festival, and the World Master Games. The ISMF is collaborating with other prominent event organizers to further integrate Skimo into additional sporting competitions.
About the ISMF
Founded in 2007, the International Ski Mountaineering Federation ISMF is the global governing body for ski mountaineering competitions. Since 2016, the organization is officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee IOC. Its main goals are the promotion, regulation and development of the ski mountaineering sport worldwide. Based in Lausanne, Switzerland, the ISMF’s membership consists of 47 national mountaineering or ski sports federations in Europe, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. The ISMF organizes ski mountaineering World Cups events and World Championships. For the first time, ski mountaineering has been a medal sport at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland and has recently been included in the programme of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
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