Ski mountaineering makes Olympic debut on snowy day as Marianne Fatton of Switzerland wins 1st gold

BORMIO, Italy (AP) — They skied uphill through a diamond-shaped pattern and climbed a flight of on-slope stairs in their ski boots. Far from done, they endured more lung-searing climbing, with skis back on, and then a downhill dash to the finish line.

All the while, their course looked like a giant snow globe with Mother Nature adding to the scene.

Now that's an entrance.

The sport of ski mountaineering made its long-awaited Olympics debut Thursday and crowned its first champion at the Milan Cortina Games in Marianne Fatton of Switzerland. Shortly after, Oriol Cardona Coll of Spain followed suit to take the men's race.

A win for them, though, was a win for a niche Alpine sport that traces its roots back to the late 19th century.

“It’s a magical day,” said Fatton, who's also the reigning world champion. "It’s history for our sport, and for us as athletes, and it’s wonderful.”

With snow falling, Fatton navigated the uphill-then-downhill sprint course in a time of 2 minutes, 59.77 seconds. She edged Emily Harrop of France by 2.38 seconds. Ana Alonso Rodriguez of Spain took bronze as she competed on a torn ACL.

The men's version saw Cardona Coll jump out to a big lead and never look back. Well, briefly, on the downhill section, just to see if anyone was closing in on him.

They weren't.

Nikita Filippov finished with the silver, becoming the first individual neutral athlete to earn a medal in Italy. Thibault Anselmet of France captured bronze.

Ski mountaineering, which is called “skimo” for short, was voted into the Olympic program in 2021. The falling snow provided the fitting backdrop for a sport that is more than just a sprint. There are also vertical and endurance races. But not at the Olympics.

The compactness of the sprint was ideal for the Winter Games — a quick ski-jaunt up and back down. To be on the medal stand, it took weathering three rounds that last about three or so minutes each — less for the men — and that stretched their fitness to the fullest.

“I think the show today was pretty special," said Harrop, who will be one of the favorites in the mixed team relay event Saturday. “There was a lot of suspense.”

This particular gold medal carried a lot of weight given the stakes. Fatton claimed the coveted title of “first ever" to earn an Olympic title in their sport. Cardona Coll wasn't far behind as the men's race was staged 20 minutes later. Asked how the gold medal felt around his neck, Cardona Coll simply laughed: “It feels heavy.”

“There was a lot of pressure," he said of being the favorite. “I'm relaxed now.”

Filippov, too, was feeling the pressure.

“In the social media, they said, 'Nikita Filippov, it’s very important day today for us, because there is no medal, and he is our hope. Main hope,'” Filippov recounted. ”I was telling myself, ‘Just relax, Nikita. Do your thing and a medal will come.’"

He acknowledged the difficulty of not celebrating his country.

“It's OK," said Filippov, who had friends in the stands. "Everybody knows from what country I am. I'm just happy to be here and to have realized my child dream.”

Fatton had quick transitions — from ski boots back to skis in particular — which paved the way to her gold medal. Her mom, Anna Janouskova, competed for Czechia in cross-country skiing at the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France.

Just being in front of the crowd was a special moment for skimo athletes.

“Standing in the start and seeing the Olympic rings on the hillside got really real,” said American Anna Gibson, who made it to the semifinal round.

The course made for entertaining theater, resembling almost a snow park of assorted obstacles.

First, the athletes weaved their way through a set pattern before taking off their skis to climb the steps in their ski boots, storing their skis in a backpack. They put them back on for another sprint to the top.

Upon reaching the summit of the course, athletes hopped in the air to rip off their “skins,” pieces of fabric on the bottom of the skis that allow athletes to hurry uphill. After that, it was all downhill from there as they flew along the Stelvio course toward the finish line.

The individual sprints were set up in a bracket-style format. The top finishers keep advancing until they reach the final, which consists of six athletes.

“I was just exhausted after the race,” Fatton said.

It’s been a tough road for Alonso Rodriguez just to get to the start line. In September, she was seriously hurt when hit by a car while training on her bike.

“There were times when I thought I was not going to make it,” she said. “I’ve focused on taking it step-by-step.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Switzerland's Marianne Fatton celebrates winning a ski mountaineering women's final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Spain's Oriol Cardona Coll, center, celebrates winning the gold medal in a ski mountaineering men's sprint final, with silver medalist Individual Neutral Athlete Nikita Filippov, left, and bronze medalist France's Thibault Anselmet, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Individual Neutral Athlete Nikita Filippov celebrates winning the silver medal in a ski mountaineering men's final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

France's Emily Harrop, left, is followed by Switzerland's Marianne Fatton during a ski mountaineering women's semifinal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Switzerland's Marianne Fatton strips off her skins during a ski mountaineering women's semifinal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Switzerland's Marianne Fatton celebrates winning a ski mountaineering women's final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Spain's Oriol Cardona Coll competes during a ski mountaineering men's sprint heat, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Spain's Oriol Cardona Coll leads the pack of skiers during a ski mountaineering men's sprint heat, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

France's Emily Harrop leads during a ski mountaineering women's sprint heat, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

France's Emily Harrop, center, followed by Switzerland's Caroline Ulrich, left, competes during a ski mountaineering women's sprint heat, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Thursday at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting that nine members of the body have agreed to pledge $7 billion toward a Gaza relief package for a war-battered Gaza, where a shaky ceasefire deal persists.

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait are the countries that are making pledges, Trump added.

“Every dollar spent is an investment in stability and the hope of new and harmonious (region),” said Trump in thanking the donors.

The amount, while significant, represents a fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild the Palestinian territory decimated after two years of war.

Trump also announced the U.S. was pledging $10 billion for the Board of Peace, but didn’t specify what the money will be used for.

“The Board of Peace is showing how a better future can be built, starting right here in this room,” Trump said.

The board was initiated as part of Trump's 20-point peace plan to end the conflict in Gaza. But since the October ceasefire, Trump's vision for the board has morphed and he wants it to have an even more ambitious remit — one that will not only complete the Herculean task of bringing lasting peace between Israel and Hamas but will also help resolve conflicts around the globe.

But the Gaza ceasefire deal remains fragile and Trump's expanded vision for it has triggered fears the U.S. president is looking to create a rival to the United Nations.

Trump, pushing back against the criticism, said the creation of his board would help make the U.N. viable in the future.

“Someday I won’t be here. The United Nations will be,” Trump said. “I think it is going to be much stronger, and the Board of Peace is going to almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly.”

Trump started the meeting by taking part in a family photo with officials from nations that have joined the board.

Most countries sent high-level officials, but a few leaders—including Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Argentinian President Javier Milei, and Hungarian President Viktor Orbán—traveled to Washington for the gathering.

More than 40 countries and the European Union confirmed they were sending officials to Thursday’s meeting, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly. Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are among more than a dozen countries that have not joined the board but are taking part as observers.

“Almost everybody’s accepted, and the ones that haven’t, will be," Trump predicted. "And some are playing a little cute -- it doesn’t work. You can’t play cute with me.”

The U.N. Security Council held a high-level meeting Wednesday on the ceasefire deal and Israel’s efforts to expand control in the West Bank. The U.N. session in New York was originally scheduled for Thursday but was moved up after Trump announced the board’s meeting for the same date and it became clear that it would complicate travel plans for diplomats planning to attend both.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin told reporters earlier this week that “at the international level it should above all be the U.N. that manages these crisis situations.” The Trump administration on Wednesday pushed back on the Vatican's concerns.

“This president has a very bold and ambitious plan and vision to rebuild and reconstruct Gaza, which is well underway because of the Board of Peace,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “This is a legitimate organization where there are tens of member countries from around the world.”

Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., also pushed back on skeptical allies, saying the board is “not talking, it is doing.”

“We are hearing the chattering class criticizing the structure of the board, that it’s unconventional, that it’s unprecedented,” Waltz said. “Again, the old ways were not working.”

Central to Thursday's discussions will be creating an armed international stabilization force to keep security and ensure the disarming of the militant Hamas group, a key demand of Israel and a cornerstone of the ceasefire deal.

But thus far, only Indonesia has offered a firm commitment to Trump for the proposed force. And Hamas has provided little confidence that it is willing to move forward on disarmament. The administration is “under no illusions on the challenges regarding demilitarization” but has been encouraged by what mediators have reported back, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Subianto, the Indonesian president, pledged to work closely with other leading Islamic countries invited by Trump to “join in the endeavors to try to achieve lasting peace in Palestine.”

“We recognize there are still obstacles to be overcome, but at least my position is at least we have to try, and we have to do our best,” he said at an event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, where he met with members of the business community.

On Thursday, updates are expected from the Gaza Executive Board, the operational arm of the board, about its efforts to create a functioning government system and services for the territory, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the broad outlines of the meeting.

Michael Hanna, U.S. program director at the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit group focused on preventing conflicts, suggested the skepticism some U.S. allies are showing is not unwarranted.

"Without any clear authorization for the expansion of its mandate beyond Gaza, it is unsurprising that many U.S. allies and partners have chosen to decline Trump’s offer to join the board," Hanna said. “Instead, many of the states most invested in Gaza’s future have signed up with the hope of focusing U.S. attention and encouraging Trump himself to use the influence and leverage he has with Israel.”

Associated Press writers Didi Tang in Washington, Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed reporting.

President Donald Trump speaks during a Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, attends a Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Argentina's President Javier Milei is seen during a Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trumpl listens during a Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

FILE - President Donald Trump's name is seen on the U.S. Institute of Peace building, Dec. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)