ROME, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The fifth leg of the 2024-2025 Ski Mountaineering World Cup began on Saturday in Bormio, Italy, serving as both a qualification event for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and the first Olympic test event for the sport.
Over the weekend, around 200 athletes from 27 teams will tackle the steep slopes of the Stelvio Ski Center, which will also host the Olympic alpine skiing events next February.
In the men's sprint race on Saturday, Spanish veteran and world champion Oriol Cardona Coll secured his third win of the season, clocking two minutes, 32.73 seconds. The Swiss duo of Jon Kistler and Arno Lietha followed in 2:35.13 and 2:37.83, respectively.
French star Emily Harrop claimed the women's title, finishing in 3:04.79. Switzerland's Marianne Fatton and Caroline Ulrich completed the podium, trailing 2.75 seconds and 3.96 seconds behind, respectively.
Ski mountaineering, a sport rooted in the traditional travel methods of mountain residents, tests athletes' climbing and skiing skills. Making its Olympic debut in 2026, the sport will feature men's and women's sprint races and a mixed relay, with three gold medals at stake.
The mixed relay gold medal will be decided on Sunday at the Bormio World Cup. ■
