Ski
Mountaineering Competition
Ski mountaineering (or randonnée racing) is a winter sport
that combines athletic skiing and mountaineering skills over medium distances,
incorporating technical ascents and descents. Ski mountaineering races
introduced a new dimension to this beautiful sport in Europe in the 1980's. The
concept is extremely simple - racing over steep alpine terrain using ski touring
gear, gaining and losing elevation (up to 3000 metres worth) past a series of
checkpoints set along ridges and peaks. Some parts of the course require
skinning up snow slopes, some involve scrambling with the skis on packs, and
some slopes reward polished downhill technique. Some technical courses may
require boot packing or traversing fixed lines. The entire itinerary needs to be
completed carrying full gear from a mass start on the valley floor in typically
less than 3 hours. The winner is the one who crosses the finish line first.
Thus, results are determined by time. These are athletic challenges, rather than
tests of local knowledge – routes are marked and the techniques to employ are
specified at all points on the courses. The sport enjoys a great popularity all
over the world with a rapidly growing community in North America. Athletes and
citizens that participate in such events are skiers, snowboarders,
telemark-skiers, backcountry enthusiasts or simply the ones who seek a fun
challenge.
Ski mountaineering competitors are often popular athletic
heroes in western European nations. They are widely admired, and arrive on race
day heavily promoted by outdoor equipment interests and their home country's
mountain federations. The ISMF organizes ski mountaineering races around the
world in a World Cup Circuit.
In the latter part of the 1990s, the International Ski
Mountaineering Council was established to oversee the European and Youth
competition calendars, organize an international World Cup series, and lobby for
the sport's inclusion in the Olympics. The first official ISMF World
Championships were held in Serre Chevalier, France, in January of 2002.
Visit the ISMF website to read about their Olympic aspirations. The site
also has downloads of rules, competition calendars, and international contacts
for the sport.
(credit: SkiMoCanada.org)
