Ski mountaineering races to Olympic debut

Emily Harrop wasn't fast enough going downhill on skis to get near the podium in Alpine skiing. But she's proving tough to beat going uphill.

The French athlete has earned the moniker "queen of ski mountaineering" after making the switch at the age of 20 and will be the favorite to win gold when the sport makes its Olympic debut at next year's Milano-Cortina Winter Games.

Harrop has won all four World Cup sprint races this season, the last of which came on Feb 22 at an Olympic test event in Bormio, the venue for next year's ski mountaineering — or skimo — events.

"It's great to be able to come here a year before to test it out, it was really exciting for all of us," Harrop said after her victory. "I think everyone had in their minds this year the test event, so I'm really glad to have gotten to the end of this day with a big confidence boost with this win."

Harrop, who grew up in France to English parents, followed her win up with a second-place finish in mixed relay, alongside Thibault Anselmet.

The 27-year-old Harrop is a four-time world champion in relay and team events and has also won the overall and sprint World Cup titles in each of the past three seasons.

What is skimo?

Ski mountaineering makes athletes first go up the mountain, before coming back down.

"It's kind of like you combine cross-country skiing with Alpine skiing. You kind of sprint up a mountain with your skis on, and then ski down a mini Alpine course," said Cameron Smith of the United States.

In sprint races, the ascent is mostly made on specialized skis covered with so-called climbing skins — which improve traction against the snow — and partly made on foot in ski boots. Once the competitors reach the top of the course, they switch to downhill skiing to descend down the mountain again.

At the Olympics, 18 male and 18 female athletes will compete in individual sprint races and a mixed relay.