Preview, schedule and how to watch the Milano Cortina 2026 test event live

Ski Mountainering World Championships – a guide for disciplines

Mixed relay race

Each member drives once in mixed teams of two athletes, while both carry out a route one after the other. Each circuit takes about 15 minutes, including two climbs and descents as well as a short section with the skis on the backpack.

Vertical breed

The vertical race is a single climb that is exclusively completed on skis using skins. There is no boot pack or downhill skiing. The vertical profit should be 500-700 meters (1,600 to 2.300 feet) for juniors for men and women (1,300-1,600 feet).

Sprint race

The sprint race is a short-term event that consists of a skin section, a boat section and a clearly marked gate descent.

As the title suggests, this is a very quick race and is based on completing the total course in about three minutes for the fastest racing drivers. The total climb and the descent is approximately 100 m, with the athletes almost starting and ending the same point.

Individual breed

An individual breed usually has at least three climbs and descents for men and women and two for juniors.

The longest rise should not make up more than 50 percent of the total height profit of the event. The race times vary depending on the event, but top racing drivers should complete the event in 1.5-2 hours with a minimal height profit of 1,300 meters (4,500 feet). The individual race should also contain at least one section on the foot (skis on the pack).

Team race

In the team event, a team (consisting of two racing drivers of the same gender) must always compete together and be completed together. During the assiments, the team members must not be separated by more than 30 seconds, and no more than 10 seconds during the departures. The team members have to leave all control points and transitions together and be completed within five seconds. The total height profit should be at least 2,100 meters (7,000 feet), and the end times should be 3-3.5 hours for the top team.