Meet the Rockford Native Making History in Olympic Ski Mountaineering

Rockford, Illinois may not be known for mountains and great snow skiing conditions, but a Rockford native will be competing for Team USA in a brand new sport, Ski Mountaineering also known as Skimo, at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy this February.

What Is Ski Mountaineering?

If you've never heard of Ski Mountaineering or Skimo before, don't worry, neither had I.

Here's how the sport is explained by USA Skimo:

Ski mountaineering (abbreviated to skimo) racing is a human-powered endurance competition that involves climbing mountains on skis and/or by foot and in many race disciplines, passing through a series of transitions before descending on skis.

Skimo competitions have been taking place throughout the world since 2002, but 2026 will be the first time it debuts as part of the Winter Olympic Games.

Rockford Native Competing for Team USA Skimo

Ready for some exciting news?

Cameron Smith, a Rockford native and 2014 Guilford High School graduate, and his mixed relay teammate Anna Gibson were recently nominated to the 2026 U.S. Olympic Ski Mountaineering Team which will debut in Milan-Cortina, Italy this February.

An article from NBC Olympics says:

The duo made all kinds of history at the ISMF Ski Mountaineering World Cup event in Solitude, Utah by winning the mixed relay event. They became the first American team in Cup history to accomplish the feat, and in the process, secured an Olympic berth in Milan Cortina.

Cameron Smith moved to Crested Butte, Colorado after graduating high school to train and attend college, but he still has many friends and family in the Rockford area who can't wait to see him achieve Olympic Gold.

Check out this cool video of how Team USA is preparing for some tough competition ahead in Italy:

Good luck, Cameron Smith and Team USA! We can't wait to watch you dominate in Italy soon!