A dream comes true for the German ski mountaineers Tatjana Paller, Helena Euringer and Finn Hösch.
These are exciting days and weeks for the world’s best ski mountaineers. For the first time ever, they are taking part in the Winter Olympics. The three German skimo athletes (all from Bavaria) will write sports history in the next few days. Tatjana Paller (DAV Tölz), Helena Euringer (DAV Berchtesgaden) and Finn Hösch (DAV Bergland Munich) are among the first athletes in the world who have a chance of winning an Olympic medal in their sport.
At the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut with two competition formats: the sprint and the mixed relay. “This is an absolute dream,” said the 23-year-old Hösch at a media event on Thursday.
Ski mountaineers in an unfamiliar situation
The skimo competitions take place in Bormio – in front of numerous spectators. This is new territory for ski mountaineers. Hösch is also aware that the situation will be “unusual,” as he says.
The grandstand will be full when the skimo competitions take place on February 19th and 21st, the stadium in Bormio is completely sold out. But the three of them don’t want to be disturbed by what’s going on. Paller even says: “I don’t even notice when people are cheering me on or shouting something to me because I’m in the tunnel.”
Paller with Medal chances
Ski mountaineering combines ascent, descent, carrying passages and transitions on a short, artificial course. The ascent is done with adhesive skins under the skis. Before setting off on the descent, the athletes quickly remove their skins and stow them under their racing suit. The fastest wins.
Paller in particular has a realistic chance of winning a medal. The Lenggries native won silver in the sprint at the World Championships last year – she is one of the absolute world leaders in the sport. But Euringer, one of the youngest athletes in the field, was also able to show off with an eighth place at the World Championships. Although the goal of the German ski mountaineers is clearly to win a medal, their mission goes further: In the end, for the skimo athletes it’s not just about gold, silver and bronze, but also about whether their sport remains Olympic – whether Paller, Hösch and Euringer can take part again at future games.
Source: BR24Sport February 5, 2026 – 6:30 p.m
