SKIMO ANDORRA 2022: ALL ABOUT THIS SKI TOURING COMPETITION

Today we place special emphasis on ski touring and, if you are also a fan of this modality, we are sure that you have not missed anything about Skimo Andorra 2022. Let's review what happened at this great sporting event!

Skimo Andorra consists of a test of effort and perseverance in which you can enjoy the landscape of the Andorran mountains on a tour in pairs in the female, male and mixed categories. It is one of the most important ski mountaineering competitions in the world, and the test lasts two days where different stages are held.

The end of the routes will be at the Granvalira and Ordino Arcalis stations. This year, the great ski touring competition has more than 1,000 participants from 14 different countries who will combine their love of sport with their passion for nature on the Andorran slopes.

For all of you who are not familiar with cross-country skiing or randonneé, it is an activity that combines skiing and hiking at the same time. To do this we will need special skis that are lighter than typical alpine skis for walking, and with a big difference: they allow us to separate the heel of the ski to be able to take steps more easily.

So, we are going to tell you all about this very special competition.

BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR SKIS ON…

The starting signal is not given until all participants know what the specific indications or last-minute modifications are. Since, on many occasions, as has happened this time, snow is scarce in some areas and that means that last-minute changes have to be made.

In addition, in this competition it will be important to get along with your partner or team, since if one of them leaves, you are not allowed to finish the course. Many of the participants point out that it is a way to participate in an activity that is both playful and competitive.

WHAT ARE THE STAGES OF SKIMO?

In skimo there are different stages, each one with its characteristics, and the contestants will have to overcome all of them to qualify and go from one to the other.

It all starts with the first stage that starts from Naturland and reaches Grau Roig with a drop of 1050 metres. The landscape through which these athletes pass will be the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley, an incredible place, so much so that it has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The objective of the first stage is to unite ski mountaineering in the two resorts by going through different shelters where food and drinks await the participants to regain strength.

The winners of the first stage are the Catalans Marc Pinsach and Oriol Cardona, who thus obtained a great advantage to face the next stage, which would be a little tougher. In addition, they are runners of the Ski Mountaineering Federation.

Many of the participants have pointed out that the last section of this stage was the most complicated, and that this was added to the accumulated fatigue. There was a lot of desire to arrive!

Then, the second stage took place, a bit tougher, so those who qualified took advantage of the time between one stage and the next to rest and regain their strength. A route of 14 km and 1050 m of unevenness between the Sorteny car park and the Ordino-Arcalís ski resort.

This was a course full of ups and downs in which the contestants must have a good management of forces and enough technique to overcome the obstacles. In fact, in some sections the runners have had to carry their skis on their backs due to the lack of snow.

After five hours and ten minutes of racing, the first contestants and winners of this skimo stage arrive, which turns out to be Marc Pinsach and Oriol Cardona.

In the female category Ana Alonso and Nahia Quincoces also repeated their victory in this second stage. The two assure that, although there is little snow, this temperature has allowed them to enjoy the landscape even more.

The organizer of Skimo Andorra, Gerard Riart, has made an assessment of the event stating that, despite the harsh conditions and the state of the snow, people have been happy with the facilities, the tour and volunteers, so they leave with good word of mouth.

On Sunday, February 20, the last stage took place, which consisted of a journey through a high mountain route that links two valleys. The novelty of 2022: it was a scoring race for the Catalan Ski Mountaineering Cup (only teams of 2 people). The route is 40 km and has a 3,000-meter drop that starts at the Grau Roig ski resort and ends in Ordino-Arcalís.

HOW TO TRAIN FOR SKIMO?

Now that we have given you a brief summary of how these days of Skimo Andorra 2022 have developed, you should know that, to prepare for a skimo test, it will take about 10 weeks including the week prior to the competition.

Training before practicing this discipline or taking part in a contest like Skimo Andorra is clearly necessary. Its need comes not only from the preparation to be the fastest runner and be the first, but it is essential for your safety when practicing this sport. In addition, it is a discipline that, like skiing or surfing, can be influenced by natural factors. Skimo is done at a considerable height and requires a high technical level that will be easier to control with a good physical condition.

It consists of a routine that must combine concentric power (the muscle is capable of overcoming external resistance) and eccentric (allows controlled descent) of the main muscle groups. The objective will be to achieve stability in the pelvic girdle, increase the aerobic capacity necessary for skiing.

Finally, we must bear in mind that, if you want to give your all in the ski touring season and win the competitions, it will be important that the exercises you do are done routinely in order to be able to ski with all abilities covered and in a safer way.

Now that you know everything about this tournament, we hope you don't miss anything that will come in 2023. It's sure to be filled with incredible scenery, and runners who are a ski touring machine!