Ways to watch the new Olympics sport of ski mountaineering at no cost

A new sport is making its debut at the Winter Olympics today.

The first Olympic ski mountaineering (or SkiMo) event kicks off on February 18th in Bormio, Italy.

In this competition, athletes compete in sprint races. They ski up a section of the trail, then continue their ascent on foot before skiing downhill again. The participant with the quickest time is declared the winner.

This sport has its origins in the Italian Alps. Notably, two Italian athletes, Giulia Murada and Michele Boscacci, have familial ties to ski mountaineering, as their parents won the team race at the inaugural SkiMo World Championships back in 2002.

“This is essentially the birthplace of ski mountaineering racing,” commented Michela Martinelli, who oversees ski mountaineering for the Milano-Cortina event.

What is ski mountaineering?

In simple terms, ski mountaineering involves ascending a mountain on skis, dismounting to continue the climb on foot, and then putting the skis back on to ski down.

Ski mountaineering Olympic schedule

• Men’s and Women’s Sprints (Heats): February 19, 3:45 a.m. ET
• Men’s and Women’s Sprint (Finals): February 19, 6:55 a.m. ET
• Mixed team relay: February 21, 7:30 a.m. ET

How to watch Olympic ski mountaineering

If you don’t have cable, you can use a live TV streaming service to catch the Olympics for free. One service, DIRECTV, offers a five-day free trial and plans starting at $49.99 per month, which includes USA Network and all the channels necessary for Olympic coverage.

With a subscription, you can also access all Olympic events on Peacock, which starts at $10.99 per month.

2026 Winter Olympics

Ski mountaineering start list