The tone is set. Competition promises to be tough among European nations as they aim to qualify for the Olympic Games of Milano Cortina 2026. The Sprint is one of two new SkiMo disciplines that will feature at the Olympics, alongside the Mixed Relay.
Courchevel, December 14, 2024 – The 2024/2025 SkiMo season kicked off this Saturday, December 14, 2024 with the Sprint race in the French resort of Courchevel. In this crucial year for Olympic selections, French athlete Emily Harrop confirmed her dominance, while Spain’s Oriol Cardona Coll claimed victory after a thrilling finish against Switzerland’s Arno Lietha.
Women’s Race: The Reign of Emily Harrop Continues
After dominating the qualifications, quarterfinals, and semifinals, French athlete Emily Harrop triumphed in the Sprint race, finishing nearly 8 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Marianne Fatton. Harrop’s compatriot Margot Ravinel secured 3rd place, followed by Italy’s Giulia Murada in 4th, Germany’s Tatjana Paller in 5th, and another French athlete, Célia Perillat-Pessey, rounding out the final in 6th.
Men’s Race: The Reigning Champion Narrowly Secures Victory
Spectators were treated to an intense showdown in an all-European final, mirroring the women’s race. Spain’s Oriol Cardona Coll clinched a hard-fought victory in a tight sprint against Switzerland’s Arno Lietha. France’s Thibault Anselmet, the only local athlete in the final, secured 3rd place, finishing 2.09 seconds behind the leader. He was followed by Switzerland’s Jon Kistler and two Spanish athletes, Iñigo Martinez De Albornoz Marqués and Ot Ferrer Martinez.
⏱️👉 Check the detailed times and ranking
This opening day of the World Cup is a stark reminder of how fiercely contested the Olympic spots will be for European nations, with only 36 athletes in total eligible to qualify.
The competition continues this Sunday, December 15, with the Vertical Race starting at 12:00 PM (UTC +1), set to take place on one of Courchevel’s iconic courses.
Don’t Miss the Action!
Can’t make it to Courchevel? Catch all the excitement live on these platforms:
- ISMF YouTube Channel
- The Olympic Channel
- Eurosport
- 8Montblanc
- CBC Canada
- Snow Australia
Sunday, December 15 – Vertical
- 12:10 PM: Women’s Race Start
- 12:55 PM: Men’s Race Start
Stay tuned for exclusive content, highlights, and behind-the-scenes stories on the official ISMF website social media channels!
