53 Days Until The Winter Olympics: Cameron Smith and Anna Gibson Clinch USA’s First-Ever Ski Mountaineering Olympic Spot

The road to the Winter Olympics is rarely straightforward, especially for mountaineering, making its debut on the world stage. For American ski mountaineers Cameron Smith and Anna Gibson, the journey to the 2026 Winter Games in Milan Cortina was anything but certain. 

Their Olympic dreams came down to a high-stakes, winner-takes-all race on home snow. Rising to the challenge, the duo delivered a performance for the history books, winning gold in the mixed relay at the ISMF World Cup in Solitude, Utah. 

This victory didn’t just earn them a spot on the podium, it secured Team USA’s ticket to Italy, ensuring USA will have an entry when ski mountaineering makes its Olympic debut in less than 60 days. 

A Mountaineering Breakthrough on Home Turf

Heading into the event, the United States was trailing Canada by just one point in the continental standings. The mission was clear: win, or miss out on ski mountaineering’s first Olympic appearance. It was a do-or-die moment.

Smith, a seasoned racer from Crested Butte, Colorado, and Gibson, a Jackson Hole runner and Nordic skier, rose to the occasion with grit and determination. Gibson kicked things off on the challenging course, which demands a punishing mix of uphill climbs, technical boot-packing, and downhill skiing. 

After handing off to Smith, the team surged ahead, turning a tight race into a commanding win. They crossed the finish line in 32 minutes and 17.6 seconds—fast enough to not only beat the Canadian team but also to claim gold over seasoned European competitors.

Their win wasn’t just historic; it was groundbreaking. This was the first time a U.S. ski mountaineering team claimed gold at a World Cup event, a huge milestone for USA Skimo, a relatively young governing body established just a decade ago. In a sport typically dominated by European nations like Italy, France, and Switzerland, this win marked a major shift. Smith, who has been a leader in U.S. ski mountaineering for years, reflected on the intensity of the stakes, knowing the team was either heading to Milan or watching from home. The gold meda, and the Olympic berth, made the outcome crystal clear.

Ski Mountaineering’s Big Olympic Moment

With qualification drama behind them, all eyes are now on the upcoming Winter Games in Italy. Ski mountaineering, or “SkiMo,” combines the endurance of cross-country skiing with the technical challenges of alpine terrain. Athletes climb mountains with skis fitted with skins, traverse rugged terrain carrying skis on their backs, and race downhill at lightning-fast speeds.

At the 2026 Olympics, SkiMo will feature three events: men’s sprint, women’s sprint, and the mixed relay. The mixed relay, the event that secured Smith and Gibson their Olympic spot, is especially exciting to watch. Teams of one man and one woman alternate laps on a fast-paced, technical course, making it a thrilling, television-friendly race. The events will take place at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio, a storied alpine venue.

As Smith and Gibson shift their focus to preparing for the Games, they know they’ll face stiff competition from Europe’s top teams. But their performance on home snow proved they can hold their own against the best. Ski mountaineering’s Olympic debut also presents a chance to grow the sport in the U.S., particularly in the American West, where interest has been steadily rising. With the Winter Olympics returning to Salt Lake City in 2034, Smith and Gibson’s success could inspire a new generation of athletes to take up the sport.

Key Highlights

• Cameron Smith and Anna Gibson won gold in the mixed relay at the ISMF World Cup in Utah.
• Their victory secured the U.S. its first-ever Olympic quota spot in ski mountaineering.
• This was the first World Cup gold medal in history for an American ski mountaineering team.
• The win ensured Team USA will compete in SkiMo’s Olympic debut at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games.
• Ski mountaineering will feature three events at the Games: men’s sprint, women’s sprint, and mixed relay.