The Marmotta Trophy will take place again in the Martell Valley in just over a month. © Marmotta Trophy

A Marmotta Trophy with Olympic flair

Tomorrow, Thursday, the ski mountaineering sprint will take place in Bormio, marking the first time this trending sport has made its Olympic debut. One of the world's most prestigious ski mountaineering races, the 18th edition of the Marmotta Trophy, will be held in Martell from Thursday, March 19th to Sunday, March 22nd, and also features sprint action. This event is also a stage of the ISMF Ski Mountaineering World Cup.

February 18, 2026

From: pm

For ski mountaineering, or ski touring, this is the big and long-awaited debut at the Winter Olympics; it has never before been part of the program under the five rings. Ski mountaineering has long since become a trend, including in South Tyrol, where thousands of winter sports enthusiasts undertake tours in the mountains on weekends.

The Marmotta Trophy celebrates its 18th edition in March and has long been a classic in the ski touring scene. Now it also shines thanks to its Olympic flair: "Of course, this is a good thing. Everyone has been working towards its inclusion in the Olympic program. If Italy were to win a medal, the attention here would be even greater, including for us," says Georg Altstätter, head of the Marmotta Trophy organizing committee.

He and his team are already hard at work preparing for the 18th edition of the Marmotta Trophy. "We're in good shape. Almost everything is ready at the Grogg Biathlon Centre in Martell for the mixed relays on Saturday, March 21st, and the sprints on Sunday, March 22nd. The individual race on Thursday, March 19th, is of course weather-dependent, so preparations for that can only begin a few weeks before the start of the competition," Altstätter added.

The program has been in place for a long time

The program has long been finalized. The individual race starts on Thursday at the old Hotel Paradiso at the end of the Martell valley. The imposing hotel ruins also serve as the finish line, with the men beginning their "tour" of rapid descents and steep climbs first, followed by the women. Friday is a rest day before the mixed relays take place on Saturday, which, along with the sprints, are also part of the Olympic program. The Marmotta Trophy will feature sprint races on Sunday.

The mixed relays consist of one man and one woman each, who will alternate tackling the short course next to the biathlon center. First, they ascend on skis, then strap their skis to their backs and continue on foot, before a ski descent with a few gates back to the start. There, they high-five each other, and the second relay member takes their turn. The sprints follow the same course, but each athlete competes individually. Since these races don't cover long distances, spectators can watch the spectacle from the biathlon arena in Martell.