Olympics fans had a treat they weren’t expecting on Thursday when they tuned in for the first ski mountaineering event ever held at the Games in Italy.
It’s the newest sport on the program and goes by the nickname ‘skimo’. Competitors have to, in short, race up a slope and then back down again as quickly as they can.
Skiers even had to climb up a flight of on-slope stairs in ski boots to make the summit – a moment especially endearing for fans watching on – before Marianne Fatton of Switzerland became the first ever Olympic champion in the event.
Soon after, Spaniard Oriol Cardona Coll won the men’s race.
‘In skimo, the effort is nearly constant,’ Fatton explained to Associated Press. ‘You don’t just glide down.
‘You have to stay fully engaged, skiing aggressively and as fast as possible. For me, the ideal skimo racer needs a very strong VO-2 max, excellent recovery ability, real power and a high tolerance for suffering.’
Olympics fans were thrilled by the addition of ski moutaineering to the Winter Games in Italy
At one stage, skiers even had to climb up a flight of on-slope stairs in ski boots
Marianne Fatton of Switzerland became the first ever Olympic champion in the event
After winning gold, Fatton added: ‘It’s a magical day. It’s history for our sport, and for us as athletes, and it’s wonderful.’
And plenty of fans were in agreement after being won over by the magic of the event.
‘Absolutely wild debut!’ one wrote on X after the event had finished.
‘Ski mountaineering brought nonstop action, unexpected twists, and that edge of your seat chaos we were hoping for. Definitely a thrilling addition to the Winter Olympics!’
Another said: ‘Ski mountaineering is what happens when someone asks ‘what if skiing but also extreme suffering’ and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) says yes put it in the games immediately.’
A different new fan wrote: ‘Ski mountaineering making its Olympic debut and immediately delivering drama is exactly what the Games needed.
‘New sport, new chaos, instant classic. They could not have scripted a better introduction.’
Another television viewer simply put: ‘Ski mountaineering looks brutal.’
For any fans who missed Thursday’s event, fear not. There is a mixed team relay event scheduled for Saturday.