World Championships of Ski Mountaineering

The World Championships of Ski Mountaineering are biannually held ski mountaineering competitions.

History

The events were originally sanctioned by the International Council for Ski Mountaineering Competitions (ISMC). The first official world mastership of the ISMC was carried out in the "International Year of Mountains" (2002), declared by the United Nations. The championship was held in Serre Chevalier, France, from January 24 to January 27, 2002. Prior the Italian Trofeo Mezzalama was held as "World Championship of Ski Mountaineering" with the classes "Civilians", "Soldiers" and "Mountain guides" in 1975.[1] Because the ISMC merged into the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) in 2008, the next championships were sanctioned by the ISMF.[2] In 2011, the originally planned 9th edition of the European Championships of Ski Mountaineering at last was held as 6th edition of the World Championships.

Medalist teams of the 1975 Trofeo Mezzalama
"civilian teams" Italy Renzo Meynet Italy Osvaldo Ronc Italy Mirko Stangalino[3]
     
     
"military teams" Italy Angelo Genuin Italy Bruno Bonaldi Italy Luigi "Gigi" Weiss[3]
Italy Gianfranco Stella Italy Aldo Stella Italy Leo Vidi[4]
Italy Willy Bertin Italy Felice Darioli Italy Fabrizio Pedranzini[4]
"mountain guides" Italy Oreste Squinobal Italy Arturo Squinobal Italy Lorenzo Squinobal[3]
     
     

Further venues of the ISMC World Championships were the Aran Valley (Spain) in 2004, the Italian Province of Cuneo in 2006, and Portes du Soleil (Switzerland) in 2008.[5] The 2010 mastership will take place in the region of Gran Valira, Andorra,[6] and the 2012 World Championship in Schladming (Austria).[7] The World Championships are supported by the national organizations of the carrying out countries.

Ratings

The disciplines are rated by gender and age groups. In 2002, only individual and team (2 racers) races were held and rated, added with a combined ranking. At the 2004 championship a relay event and a vertical race competition were added. The men's relay teams were of four racers and the women's teams of three. In the following years all relay teams were of four ski mountaineers. In 2006 the relay race was canceled because of bad snow conditions, and consequently there was no combined ranking. At the 2008 World Masterships a long distance race was added.

The national squads are often mixed with up an coming athletes of the "Espoirs"-level. Some nations do not have squads with enough racers for all disciplines.

Medalist nations and disciplines

(by point-awarding system)[8]

year venue 1. 2. 3. disciplines
individual team combination relay vertical race long distance
1st 2002 Serre Chevalier, FRA  FRA  ITA   SUI X X X - - -
2nd 2004 Aran Valley, ESP   SUI  ITA  FRA X X X X X -
3rd 2006 Province of Cuneo, ITA  ITA   SUI  FRA - X - X X -
4th 2008 Portes du Soleil, SUI  ITA  FRA   SUI X X X X X X
5th 2010 Gran Valira, AND  ITA  FRA   SUI X X X X X -
6th 2011 Claut, ITA  FRA   SUI  ITA X X X X X -
7th 2013 Pelvoux, FRA  ITA  FRA   SUI X X X X X -
8th 2014 Verbier, FRA  ITA  FRA   SUI X X X X X -

External links

References