Swind, snow and a lot of effort. But, assures those who practice it, it is absolutely worth it. Being alone, in pristine environments, with crisp air, putting your muscles and lungs to the test, is a satisfaction that is priceless. The ski mountaineering boom began a few years agoand he never stopped. Now comes the Olympic consecration. On 19 and 21 February men and women will compete on the Stelvio slope, in Bormio, for the most coveted medal.
«Italy has invested, and now we can say that we are among the protagonists of this sport» says Fabio Meraldi, technical director of National. “In 2020 we participated in the Youth Olympic Games, and from there the interest increased, especially among young people.” There are two disciplines competing for the first time: sprint and mixed relay, a sort of relay in which men and women participate together. They are both fast, very televised but, adds Meraldi, «in a few minutes they are able to show well both the effort of the climb, the flat walk and the descent». The sprint lasts 3 minutes; the relay a few more.
Meraldi makes no predictions: «Based on the results of the World Cup», he says, «the favorites are Spain, France and Switzerland, followed by a group of countries that includes the Scandinavian ones, Austria, Germany and Italy. The races will be very close». Three Italians, two girls and a boy, for a competition that promises to be of the highest level. Meraldi, born in Valtellina, plays at home: «Even though I now live in Friuli, the land of my wife, the former cross-country skier Manuela di Centa».
Mara Martini, former athlete of the national ski mountaineering team, in a race at the Tonale pass. Photo by Martina Valmassoi.
Ski mountaineering: a sustainable sport
Mara Martini will comment on the event on TV for the Eurosport channelformer athlete of the women’s national team for 8 seasons, a gold in 2021 in the women’s relay, «which was the last gender-based uniform, so I’m still the reigning champion» she maintains with irony. Mara, a ski instructor in Campitello di Fassa, approached ski mountaineering in her mountains, the Friulian Dolomites, when, many years ago, a stage of the World Cup took place there: «My town, Claut, is 600 meters away. The altitude is low but it is a very snowy area, I started there”. For her, today, ski mountaineering is above all a way to get away, often paired with boyfriend Paolo Ongaro, mountain guide (watch them together on Instagram while they ski or climb!): «After a day on the slopes, between the noise of the lifts and the queues, finding the silence, being face to face with the mountain, isolating yourself from the rest, is priceless. This is how I find my peace.”
If it is It’s easy to count the competitors, around 1000 in total, including 400 kids under 20it is almost impossible to understand how many enthusiasts there are. We can get an idea by looking at SellaRonda Skimarathon, a night ski mountaineering race that takes place mostly on the slopes of the famous ski carousel.42 km with 2700 meters of difference in altitude to overcome four passes, Gardena, Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella. Very competitive, not for everyone, it is nevertheless in great demand: «Every year there are around a thousand participants, and registrations close in an instant» says Meraldi, who won the first six editions. The next appointment is in Corvara on March 20th.
Of course, the discipline is tiring, “you need good resistance to fatigue, but now there are many women who go trekking in the summer and ski mountaineering in the winter” concludes Mara Martini. The boom came after Covid, with the growth of outdoor activities and the mountains in general. «The federations have worked very well and people have approached this activity as fitness, to play sport and feel better about themselves» says Ezio Marlier, president ofAosta Valley Union of High Mountain Guides which has 350 members. «In summer we run on the paths; in winter they put on skins – today they are synthetic – and go up”. As for the female presence, anyone who frequents the paths cannot help but notice how much the number of girls and also the number of single women has increased. The same goes for winter. «There is a big difference in the sporting approach, because men look at the goal, women at the path» is Marlier’s opinion. «In a world that has always been male, seeing these girls makes me hope for the future».
Mara Martini in Tromso, Norway, during the route inspection for a ski mountaineering competition. Photo by Martina Valmassoi.
A slow approach
Ski mountaineering is very ecological: it does not consume energy, has a slow approach and is also economically sustainable; once you have bought the equipment, «around 1000 euros for skis, bindings and (synthetic) skins, another 3-400 for boots and 3-400 for the safety kit with Artva (Avalanche search device), shovel and probe, that’s all you need. If you then go for used ones, you can save a lot” says Andrea Crespi, ski mountaineering instructor for the CAI (Italian Alpine Club) of Gallarate. Those who have tried the experience are unlikely to go back: «It is the best way to enjoy the real, non-anthropized mountains» continues Crespi. «Climbing with your own strength in a wild environment with heart and brain is one thing. Climbing next to the lifts is a prohibited practice – and going down the slopes is gymnastics. The aim of the CAI is to convey love for the mountains.”
The two worlds – the competitive one and that of those who climb pristine mountains without timers and opponents to beat – are on “two parallel tracks” he claims Flavio Bakovic, director of the ski mountaineering and snowboard mountaineering school of CAI of Turin (the Club was founded by Quintino Sella in 1863), one of the 200 schools belonging to the CNSASA (National Commission for mountaineering, ski mountaineering and free climbing schools). «We are interested in training students on technique, safety and ethics. I will definitely watch the races on TV, as a spectator. I would add, however, that in my team there are instructors who participated in the Mezzalama Trophy, a historic, very selective, competitive competition.” Sometimes, therefore, the two worlds meet.
Noemi Junod, Giulia Compagnoni and Ilaria Veronese during a ski mountaineering competition. FISI photo.
The ski mountaineering courses are sold out
Bakovic confirms the growth of interest in ski mountaineering, even if the numbers of participants in the courses are quite rigid, to allow a student/instructor ratio that allows for safe riding (remember that the Cai instructors are all volunteers). «Covid helped make us known, but with social media there was a boom. It doesn’t take much: a photo or video of a trip in the sun, in a beautiful environment. At the first outing of the basic course, a couple of weeks ago, there were 90 students, most under 30, of whom 30-40 percent were women. When we have click day for registrations, places fill up in 2-3 minutes maximum. At the end of the day, around 300 remain out.”
The CAI courses have a theoretical part, in the classroom, and a practical part, with trips: «On each outing, the final part of the day is dedicated to self-rescue exercises. It is not enough to have an avalanche transceiver, a shovel and a probe – which are mandatory in snowy environments even if you go with snowshoes -, you need to know how to use them, read the signals, such as the wind, evaluate the snow cover, understand where there may be ice floes or snow frames” concludes Bakovic. Prevention, safety, head. Then we go, with passion.
