How to qualify in Ski mountaineering
How ski mountaineers qualify for the World Championships
Checked 20 October 2026Valid for: the ISMF World Championships under ISMF Rules & Guidelines, version 2026-2027, section 20.3.
There is no qualifying race: each national member of the ISMF can enter athletes up to a quota, and every athlete needs an ISMF licence.
| Race | Senior | U23 | U20 | U18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual, sprint, vertical | 4 men, 4 women | 3 men, 3 women | 4 men, 4 women | 4 men, 4 women |
| Team race | 4 men's teams, 4 women's teams | |||
| Relay | 1 men's team, 1 women's team | 1 youth team | ||
| Mixed relay | 3 teams | 2 youth teams |
The U23 athletes race with the seniors, so a country can have up to seven senior-race starters per gender (4 + 3).
- Bonus place: the reigning World (or continental) champion in a discipline earns their country one extra place in that discipline at the next championships (not in relays). If the race is not held, the bonus carries to the next one.
- Extra U23s: a country over its U23 quota can enter more U23s in the senior category, as seniors only, within the senior quota.
- With a World Cup: if the championships are held together with a World Cup race, no quota applies to the start list; two results are published, one applying the quota and one for the World Cup.
- Teams: team race 2 or 3 of the same gender; relay 4 of the same gender; mixed relay one man and one woman. All from the same country.