Switzerland's Marianne Fatton wins first Olympic ski mountaineering gold

Ski mountaineering makes Olympic debut in blizzard

Switzerland’s Marianne Fatton won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in ski mountaineering on Thursday. The sport, known as skimo, debuted at the Winter Games in Bormio, Italy, amid heavy snowfall.

Fatton added the Olympic title to her world championship in the women’s sprint event. France’s Emily Harrop, who could have competed for Team GB, took silver.

Historic golds for Switzerland and Spain

“It’s a magical day. It’s history for our sport,” Fatton said after the race. “I was totally exhausted.”

In the men’s sprint, Spain’s Oriol Cardona Coll won gold. This marks Spain’s first Winter Olympics gold medal in 54 years, since Alpine skier Francisco Fernandez Ochoa won at Sapporo in 1972.

Silver in the men’s event went to Russian athlete Nikita Filippov, competing under a neutral banner.

What is ski mountaineering?

Ski mountaineering is the first new sport added to the Winter Olympics since snowboarding in 1998. Its roots date to the 19th century, before ski lifts existed.

The sprint event is a rapid, hybrid race. Athletes must complete a series of demanding segments:

• Sprinting uphill on skis with adhesive “skins” for traction.
• Navigating a diamond-shaped obstacle and a stairway section on foot with skis on their backs.
• A final uphill ski segment before removing the skins and racing downhill to the finish.

The average race lasts about three intense minutes.

Transitions prove decisive

Similar to triathlon, transitions between segments are critical. This is where France’s Emily Harrop lost her chance at gold.

Harrop had won her heat and semi-final. In the final, she struggled in the second transition, fumbling to remove her ski skins cleanly. The delay allowed Fatton to build a lead that Harrop couldn’t overcome on the downhill.

“When I started the sport, it wasn’t even on the [Olympic] programme,” said Harrop, a former Alpine skier. “To be here on this stage is mad.”

Event wins over fans and broadcasters

Despite the blizzard conditions, the event was nearly sold out. Fans lined the course, creating a lively atmosphere for the fast-paced contest.

BBC commentator Matt Chilton praised the format. “Televisually, it is superb,” he said. “Fans don’t miss a moment.”

The mixed relay event, where one man and one woman from each nation complete two laps each, will be held on Saturday. Those races typically last 30 to 40 minutes.