With the sport’s inclusion in the upcoming Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, it’s a pivotal point for the sport globally.
It’s particularly exciting in the US because only one country between Team USA and Team Canada will be eligible to race at the Olympics’ mixed-relay skimo event (one male, one female).
It will all come down to next weekend’s ISMF World Cup in Salt Lake City, which will also mark the first time in recent times that the Skimo World Cup lands on US soil.
Check out a cool video explanation of what’s going on.
Last week USA Skimo held the Qualifier races to select which male & female will get to race for the US at the World Cup, giving the US the best chances to beat Canada, and ultimately qualify for the Winter Olympics.
In the US Qualifier, the women’s race was dominated by the wildcard addition of Anna Gibson (3rd place at World Champs in Trail Running), while the men’s race seems up in the air as Cam Smith, Griffin Briley (3x Youth Skimo World Champ), and John Gaston are all super tight.
