Utterly thrilling news! On 9th July the IOC and the ISMF (International Ski Mountaineering Federation) announced that ski mountaineering will be one of the eight sports in the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympics.

The event will take place in Villars sur Ollons and 48 athletes aged 17 and 18 will compete, with all 31 ISMF member states being invited to put forward their top youth athletes.

The disciplines being represented are individual race, sprint and relay. This should really showcase the athletic ability of these incredible athletes in both an endurance and sprint envrionment. All three disciplines are well suited for the public to view up close and personal, albeit some sections only by skis!

The news comes almonst a year after the sport was awarded full IOC recognition and is a great step towards inclusion in the full Winter Olympics. Many congratulations to all those who have worked so hard to make this long held dream a reality.

The senior men line up in Spain earlier this year. Too old for the youth Olympics, but an inspiration for those coming up through the ranks.