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Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

International Ski Mountaineering Competition Series Comes to North America for the First Time, Giving Elite “Skimo” Athletes a Last Chance to Qualify for the 2026 Winter Games

Salt Lake City, Utah — Sept 2, 2025 — USA Skimo, in partnership with the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF), is pleased to announce the Salt Lake City Skimo World Cup at Solitude Mountain Resort, taking place December 6–7, 2025. This landmark event will be the first stop on an eight-event tour for the 2025-26 season and the final opportunity for athletes to qualify for coveted spots in the XXV Olympic Winter Games, Milano-Cortina 2026. The Salt Lake City Skimo World Cup also marks the first time this premier international competition series will be held in North America since the ISMF governing body was formed in 2007.

Set within the 10,000-foot peaks of the Wasatch Mountains in the western United States, the Salt Lake City Skimo World Cup will feature the Mixed Relay and Sprint race formats, which are the two disciplines approved for the sport’s Olympic debut. Subsequent stages held in France, Andorra, Spain, Azerbaijan, Italy, and Switzerland will include longer-distance disciplines, such as the Individual, Vertical, and Teams races. The Mixed Relay and Sprint events at Solitude are expected to draw more than 200 elite athletes from up to 28 countries, as well as approximately 1,000 spectators. These races will serve as an important step in building momentum toward the 2034 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

"Bringing the ISMF World Cup to North America is a defining moment for our sport,” said Sarah Cookler, head of sport for USA Skimo and event director for the Salt Lake City Skimo World Cup. “Utah has the largest youth skimo presence in the country, with local athletes making up close to half of the national team. We couldn’t be more excited to host this signature event in our own backyard, as the sport enters a new era on the Olympic stage.”

"The ISMF is proud to open the 2025/26 World Cup season at Solitude Mountain Resort — marking the first time an ISMF World Cup will be hosted in the United States,” said Ramone Cooper, general director of the International Ski Mountaineering Federation. “As the final qualification opportunity for athletes ahead of ski mountaineering’s Olympic debut at Milano-Cortina 2026, this event will bring together the world’s top competitors for two high-stakes days of Mixed Relay and Sprint racing. We’re pleased to partner with USA Skimo and Solitude to showcase the sport’s continued progression on a new and important international stage.”

Salt Lake City Skimo World Cup Highlights:

  • What: First-ever U.S. stop on the ISMF World Cup ski mountaineering tour, with Mixed Relay and Sprint races
  • When: Opening ceremony December 5 and races December 6–7
  • Where: Solitude Mountain Resort near Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Who: 200+ athletes from up to 28 nations Spectators: 1,000+ expected

ISMF World Cup races are broadcast live across the globe and supported by extensive social media coverage, offering spectators worldwide a front-row seat to the action. For donations and sponsorship inquiries, contact Alyssa Erickson, president of the local organizing committee, Silverfork Skimo.

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