BORMIO, Italy - The United States is fielding a determined team in ski mountaineering at the Milano Cortina Games, aiming to break through a field historically dominated by European nations. Anna Gibson and Cam Smith are leading this charge, having secured their Olympic spots with the U.S.'s first-ever World Cup win in the discipline last December.
SkiMo, with roots in alpine military training, has seen consistent European leadership. However, its inclusion as an Olympic event is fueling a significant push for global competitiveness, notably from the U.S. Smith, a recent entrant to World Cup events, and Gibson, who transitioned from trail running last September, represent a new wave of American talent. The rapid integration of American athletes has surprised even seasoned European competitors.
USA SkiMo’s Head of Sport, Sarah Cookler, believes the Olympic spotlight will accelerate athlete recruitment and competitiveness. "It's really only a matter of time before we can attract the strongest athletes for this and be really competitive," Cookler stated.
Gibson and Smith achieved "lucky loser" status in their respective Olympic sprint heats on Thursday, advancing to semifinals and securing 11th and ninth place finishes. The team has also brought in Italian trainer Oscar Angeloni to mirror the successful structure of European teams.
Competing in Bormio, Gibson highlighted the difference of being in a region where ski mountaineering is deeply ingrained in the culture. "You can feel that SkiMo is just part of the culture. It's very normal. It's very understood here," she noted.
Regardless of their final placement in Saturday's mixed relay, both athletes are expressing satisfaction with their Olympic debut. "The sprint is definitely not my best event, so I’m just taking it as a really positive sign for Saturday and the mixed relay," Smith commented. "It's a great sign for Anna and I that we’ve made it as far as we did in the sprint."