Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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In 2026, Azerbaijan will host the European Championship and the World Cup in Ski Mountaineering, Azernews reports.

A positive response was given to the request of the Winter Sports Federation to the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) regarding holding these tournaments in Azerbaijan.

The ISMF has officially decided to hold the competitions at the Shahdag tourist resort, a renowned mountain destination known for its excellent facilities and scenic beauty.

The tournaments have been included in the official calendar of the International Federation of Ski Mountaineering.

The European Championship is scheduled to take place from March 4 to March 8, 2026, and will feature some of the best ski mountaineers from across Europe competing in various categories. Following this, the World Cup events are planned for March 6 to March 8, also at the Shahdag resort.

Hosting these significant sporting events is expected to boost Azerbaijan's profile in the international winter sports community, promote tourism in the region, and foster the development of ski mountaineering as a competitive discipline within the country.

Recall that Azerbaijan hosted the Ski Mountaineering World Cup this January, bringing together 130 athletes from 26 countries, including Authorised Neutral Athlete (ANA).

Ski Mountaineering World Cup is considered one of the qualifying competitions for obtaining a license for the Winter Olympics, which will take place in 2026.

Note that the Azerbaijan Winter Sports Federation was established on January 31st, 2022.

The Federation is committed to fostering and maintaining a culture of winter sports in Azerbaijan.

Currently, the federation is mainly focused on the development of Alpine Skiing, Ski Mountaineering, Figure Skating, and Snowboarding.

The main goals of the federation are to form and manage the national team, establish a strong winter sports culture, and promote winter sports among children and youngsters.

WSF attaches particular importance to the development of local pro athletes, promotion of ski resorts, organisation of various local competitions, implementation of school programs, and stimulation of participation in these programs on the way to achieving our objectives.