Premiere in snowfall
German ski mountaineer storms into the semi-finals
02/19/2026 – 12:11 p.mReading time: 1 min.
For the first time, ski mountaineering is part of the Olympic program: While Tatjana Paller is convincing, Helena Euringer and Finn Hösch miss the semi-finals.
At the Olympic premiere of ski mountaineering in Bormio, German medal hopeful Tatjana Paller made it to the semi-finals. In adverse weather conditions with heavy snowfall, she secured second place in her heat.
For Helena Euringer, her passage did not end well: the German was eliminated from the competition in fifth place. The only male German starter, Finn Hösch, also missed out on advancing. The 23-year-old took fourth place in his heat and missed qualifying by almost four seconds.
The new Olympic discipline combines various elements of ski touring. The athletes climb a climb with special skins under their skis that prevent them from slipping back.
For a short stretch you also have to climb stairs; on this section the skis are removed. Once at the top, the skins on the skis are removed and a short descent continues down.