Analysis of Sprint Ski Mountaineering Performance.

Ski mountaineering sprint competitions are short individual races involving 3 uphill sections (U), 3 transitions (T), and a final descent. To date, relatively little is known about this novel Olympic discipline, and here we examined (1) the contribution of the time spent on U, T, and final descent to overall finishing time and (2) the potential relationships with final ranking. During the different rounds of 2 International Ski Mountaineering Federation World Cup sprint competitions, male and female ski mountaineers were video recorded. Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were used to investigate the impact of U, T, and final descent on the best overall finishing time. Linear-mixed model analysis was applied to explore potential interactions between section times, rounds, and final ranking. Overall, U (r = .90-.97) and T (r = .57-.89) were closely correlated with the best overall finishing time (all P < .05). U explained approximately 80% to 90% of the variation in the best finishing time for both sexes, with U + T explaining approximately 95% to 98% of this variation. In each successive round, the ski mountaineers eliminated were all slower on U than the Top 3 (all P < .05). The fastest skiers increased their performance on U in the later rounds of the competitions, while those eliminated showed a tendency toward a decrease. Our findings reveal that world-class sprint ski mountaineers conduct transitions optimally and perform effectively uphill. Training for such competitions should aim to improve short supramaximal uphill performance (∼1.5-2.5 min), ensuring that this does not decline with multiple efforts. These insights into ski mountaineering sprint performance are of considerable value in connection with training for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Participation and performance by women and men in ski-mountaineering sprint races during the past decade.

BACKGROUND: The sprint is one of the two ski-mountaineering disciplines that will be held at the coming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics (Italy). To date little information exists on this novel Olympic discipline. METHODS: We characterized retrospectively the participation and performance in international male and female ski mountaineering sprint races from November 2012 to April 2022. Potential associations between sex and season with participation, as well as between sex, period, round and final ranking with parameters of performance were examined with linear-mixed models. RESULTS: The minimal performance time required for success (i.e., being eligible for the next round/winning a medal) decreased progressively from the qualifications (Qs) to the final (F). Finalists adopted a conservative strategy in the Qs, improving their performance in the quarter-finals (QFs) and semifinals (SFs). The best and second-best male skier and the best female skier improved their performances even further in the F, which appears to be a key feature for success. For women, the number of participants and level of competition increased over the decade, whereas male participation did not. During the last two seasons, male sprint winners performed relatively more slowly in the preliminary rounds leaving more room for improvement in the F, which could reflect increased specialization in this discipline. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide novel insights into ski-mountaineering sprint races that can guide competition strategies and could be of considerable importance in connection with the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics (Italy).