Skimo Scotland – ski mountaineering racing

Ski mountaineering racing combines athletic skiing with mountaineering skills, incorporating technical ascents and descents. It is suitable for serious and non-serious ski mountaineering enthusiasts. 

There are different types of courses, ranging from vertical sprints, where racers skin uphill over a set distance, to courses that have short steep sections which require the racers to put their skis on their backpacks – all combined with technical downhill sections.

The races are short (60 - 90 minutes) and are held towards the end of the normal ski piste day. Each race has been exclusively designed around the specific resort, using the extensive knowledge of the ski patrol to ensure racers ski the best conditions in a secure setting.

Competitors are supplied with an equipment list which must be carried over the distance. Competitors all start at the same time, and the fastest person to complete the course is the winner.