As the world of winter sports heats up, Spanish athletes Oriol Cardona and Ana Alonso have punched their ticket to the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo, where ski mountaineering will make its highly anticipated Olympic debut. The duo’s impressive performance in the mixed relay event at the World Championships in Morgins, Switzerland, earned them a silver medal, solidifying their position as serious contenders on the global stage.
Fresh from a string of notable performances, including a third-place finish in the recent World Cup test event on the Olympic course, as well as victories in Comapedrosa, Andorra, and a second-place finish in Boi Taüll, Spain, Cardona and Alonso arrived at the World Championships with high hopes of podium success. Their consistency and skill have been on full display, and their reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the world of ski mountaineering continues to grow.
In a thrilling display of endurance and strategy, Cardona orchestrated a remarkable comeback in the final lap of the four-loop circuit. When Alonso took the reins in third place, the Spanish team trailed Switzerland by 26 seconds and France by 23. However, the reigning world sprint champion, determined to defend his title in Morgins, began to chip away at the deficit, expertly navigating the challenging course. As the finish line drew near, Cardona’s relentless drive paid off, crossing the line in second place, just behind the French pair of Thibault Anselmet and Emily Harrop, who claimed gold with a time of 32:44.1.
With a time of 32:45, Cardona and Alonso secured the silver medal, edging out the Swiss team of Robin Bussard and Marianne Fatton, who finished third with a time of 33:02.9. This hard-won second place not only cements the duo’s reputation as medal contenders but also guarantees Spain’s participation in the 2026 Olympics, marking a significant milestone in the country’s winter sports history. As the ski mountaineering community looks to the future, one thing is certain – Cardona and Alonso will be ones to watch in the years to come.
