What's debuting at the 2026 Winter Olympics
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Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
The Winter Olympics will debut a new sport and multiple new medal events for the first time in years at Milano-Cortina 2026.
Why it matters: The additions push the Games toward greater gender equity and signal a shift to more endurance-driven, mountain-based competition.
State of play: The new sport is called ski mountaineering or "skimo."
- Athletes climb up snow-covered terrain — sometimes on skis, sometimes on foot — switch gear mid-race, then ski down.
- There will be a men's and women's event as well as a team-based mixed relay.
The sport has been a staple of Alpine and European mountain culture for decades.
What to expect: Cameron Smith, Anna Gibson, and Hali Hafeman are considered the top contenders to secure a medal in the sport for Team USA.
- Listen for the name "Rémi Bonnet" — the Swiss 30-year-old is the world's top-ranked skimo athlete.
🏅 New medal events
Women's doubles luge
- Doubles luge has existed since the 1960s, but women haven't competed in it until now.
Mixed-team skeleton
- One man and one woman will compete back-to-back and combine scores.
Dual moguls
- Freestyle skiing's moguls discipline is getting a head-to-head upgrade.
- How it works: Skiers race side-by-side down bump-filled courses with jumps and winners will advance bracket-style, similar to snowboard cross.
Women's large hill ski jumping
- Like doubles luge, women will join the action on the Olympic stage for the first time.
Alpine team combined
- Country teams pair male and female skiers in a combined score format.
- This replaces the individual alpine combined event.
