BRIGHTON — Athletes from around the world converged on Solitude Mountain Resort this weekend with hopes of qualifying for the Winter Olympics in ski mountaineering’s 2026 debut in Italy.

Sprint and mixed relay races are planned for the Milano Cortina games in February, and more than 100 athletes from 24 countries participated in the weekend’s International Ski Mountaineering Federation World Cup event.

“I mean, this has been really cool to bring the world here,” said Sarah Cookler, race director of the Salt Lake City ‘Skimo’ World Cup event and the head of sport for the U.S. Ski Mountaineering Association.

Sunday featured men’s and women’s sprint races.

“These athletes ran as fast as they could on skis straight up the mountain and then had to transition and ski aggressively downhill,”

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