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鈥淚t鈥檚听funny because people hear that story and听they鈥檙e听like, 鈥楾hat is insane!鈥� But anyone who has known me for a lot of my life understands this makes complete and total sense,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檝e basically been doing this sport since I could walk听鈥斕齀 just haven鈥檛 raced.鈥�听

If听you鈥檝e听never heard of , or skimo as it鈥檚 affectionately shortened, you鈥檙e not alone. Gibson describes it as a combination of Nordic (cross-country) and alpine (downhill) skiing: On the ascent, athletes race uphill wearing fabric strips called skins attached to their skis for traction, and on the steepest parts, pack their skis and race on foot. After a quick transition at the top, they ski downhill through the course. The first to cross the finish line is the winner.

These endurance events regularly take hours through the world鈥檚 most daunting ski terrain. The Olympic debut will consist of a sprint race for individual athletes that covers nearly 20 stories of vertical gain in about 3 minutes and a mixed relay race for male/female duos, covering approximately twice that elevation over four laps. Both courses are in Bormio, a mountain hamlet in the Italian Alps between the Games鈥� host cities of Milano and Cortina.

Skimo is a sport of endurance and extremes听鈥斕齩ne that takes the kind of speed,听agility听and stamina that Gibson听trains for听as a professional runner.听Her dedication to running听started in high school and grew during her time at听the UW, where Gibson听was part of the听UW鈥檚听Track & Field team while she pursued a听degree in environmental science and terrestrial resource management, followed by a听master of jurisprudence听in environmental law.听Her team鈥檚 distance medley relay broke the NCAA record at the time.听

Though she loved her time in Seattle and continues to visit annually thanks to her ongoing partnership with local sports brand Brooks Running, the 鈥済ravitational pull鈥� of听the Tetons听called Gibson home.听鈥淚鈥檝e been an outdoor athlete my whole life,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 was raised in a town full of mountain athletes who are skiing, mountain biking, trail running听鈥斕齞oing all these things up听in听the high peaks all the time. I loved track, but deep down,听I always knew that I was going to end up running back in the mountains.鈥澨�听

Gibson听says she loves competition but would still spend her days chasing the feeling of freedom that comes from running听鈥斕齛nd skiing听鈥斕齣f it听weren鈥檛听for races. That said,听she鈥檚听taking听representing Team USA seriously and plans to give it her all in听the women鈥檚 sprint race on Feb. 19 and with teammate Smith in the relay on Feb. 21. Regardless of the outcome, though, Gibson has no plans to听hang up her skis.听鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what skimo will look like in my life after this year,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut I know it鈥檚 here to stay.鈥�听

Story by Chelsea Lin // Photos by Gracie Hinz and courtesy of UW Athletics and Anna Gibson听

Originally published February 2026