Ski mountaineering will continue its growing Olympic journey in 2028, with the sport officially confirmed for the Dolomiti Valtellina Winter Youth Olympic Games in Italy. Ski mountaineering successfully debuted at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, marking another major milestone for the rapidly growing winter sport.
The 2028 competition will take place in the Valtellina region of Lombardy, the same area that hosted ski mountaineering’s first-ever Olympic Winter Games competitions in 2026. The sport previously appeared at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2020.
Five Medal Events Planned for 2028
The approved competition program will feature five medal events across men’s and women’s competitions. Athletes will compete in the men’s and women’s sprint, a mixed relay, and men’s and women’s individual events.
A total of 48 athletes will be eligible to participate, with 24 women and 24 men making up the field. The format will give young ski mountaineers an opportunity to compete on an international Olympic stage across multiple disciplines.
The inclusion of ski mountaineering was approved by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board following a proposal from the Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 Organising Committee.
Another Step Forward for Ski Mountaineering
Ski mountaineering’s Olympic debut in 2026 represented a significant step forward for a sport that combines uphill climbing on skis with downhill skiing. Its continued presence in the Olympic program suggests that the sport is establishing a more permanent place within international winter competition.
Following its appearances at Lausanne 2020 and Milano Cortina 2026, the sport is now confirmed for Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 and the 2030 Winter Olympic Games in the French Alps.