What is skimo? Explaining the new Olympic sport of ski mountaineering
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What is skimo? Explaining the new Olympic sport of ski mountaineering originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It's an Olympic debut on Thursday for ski mountaineering.
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Yes, that's yet another skiing discipline, affectionally called "skimo" for short.
The women's and men's competition will both have various heats on Thursday, and they will both culminate with the sprint finals, which go off about 8 a.m. ET.
It's not an entirely foreign sport. After all, it's still skiing.
But it is different, to be sure.
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What is skimo?
"Skimo," or ski mountaineering, is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.
Competitors ski on steep inclines, which you would often call mountains.
It has elements of alpine skiing, including downhills, but also difficult climb portions.
The sport, according to the official Olympics website, has deep roots in Italy and in the Alpine region, which made these the perfect Games to debut it in.
In addition to the men's and women's sprint competitions, there is also a mixed relay still to come.
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What makes ski mountaineering different?
Ski mountaineering, relative to the other skiing events, is more elevated. Competitors have to climb up and back down various terrains.
It doesn't have the very defined downhill skiing course of a slalom race, and it's much less flat than a cross country skiing race.
Thus, ski mountaineering.