2026年ミラノ・コルティナ五輪で初めて採用される新競技「スキーモ」（スキーマウンテニング）。
「新しいエクストリームゲーム？」と思いきや、全然違います。スケボーやブレイクダンスとは違い、スキーモは軍事教練にルーツをもつスポーツです。
では、なぜIOCは2026年に、この一見地味な競技を採用したのでしょうか。
その背景には、現代五輪が抱える建設費問題と、開催国イタリアの強烈なノスタルジーがありました。
スキーモの基本的なルールや種目解説についてはこちらの記事をご覧ください。
1924年シャモニー大会への回帰
「新競技」と言われることが多いですが、歴史的には、第1回冬季五輪以来102年ぶりの「復帰」といえます。
起源は「偵察」
102年前の1924年、記念すべき冬季五輪の第1回、シャモニー・モンブラン大会が開かれました。
このとき実施された「ミリタリー・パトロール」（軍事偵察）こそが、スキーモの祖先というべき競技です。
雪山をスキーで移動し、ライフル射撃を行うこの競技は、その後、第二次世界大戦後の平和的な雰囲気の中で五輪から姿を消しました。
その後、「ミリタリー・パトロール」は2つの道に分かれます。
- 「射撃」に特化したスポーツとして、バイアスロンが生まれました。
- 「スキー技術」に特化したスポーツとして、 山岳スキー（スキーモ）が生まれました。
つまり、2026年のスキーモ採用は、一度2つに分かれた兄弟競技が、100年ぶりに再会する、歴史的な瞬間なのです。
IOCとイタリアの思惑が交錯した復活劇
なぜ、2026年のミラノ・コルティナ大会で、スキーモが復活したのでしょうか。
そこにはIOCが切望するメリットと、イタリアの悲願がありました。
IOCが大喜びの「建設費ゼロ」
IOCが掲げるオリンピックの改革案「アジェンダ2020+5」の核心は、持続可能性とコスト削減です。
ミラノ・コルティナ大会がボブスレーコース建設問題で難航していた中、スキーモはまさに「優等生」でした。
- 既存の雪山で行えるため、スタジアム建設が不要
- 電力消費が極めて少なく、環境負荷がほぼゼロ
この「環境に優しい」という特徴が、現代五輪のニーズに完全に合致したのです。
ミラノ・コルティナ大会でIOCとイタリア政府を揺るがす大問題となったボブスレーコース建設については、こちらの記事をご覧ください。
イタリア山岳部隊「アルピーニ」の悲願
もう一つの理由は、開催国イタリアの猛プッシュでした。
イタリアには「アルピーニ」と呼ばれる精強な山岳部隊の伝統があります。アルピーニにとって雪山を駆け巡るスキーモはまさに魂、国技とも言える位置を占めます。
そして、開催地の一つであるボルミオやコルティナ周辺は、この山岳スキーの伝統の中心地です。
大会組織委員会にとって、スキーモの採用は「国家の威信」と「伝統回帰」を象徴する国家的プロジェクトだったのです。
マニアック観戦ガイド―「第4の種目」トランジション
さて、観戦で、スキーモ初心者の注目ポイントは何でしょうか。それは、登りでも滑りでもなく、「トランジション」（着替え）の時間です。
F1のピットストップ以上の忙しさ
スキーモの選手は、登りではスキーの裏に滑り止めのシール（クライミングスキン）を貼り、下りではそれを剥がして滑走モードに切り替えます。
この切り替え作業を「トランジション」と呼びます。
トップ選手は、心拍数が毎分180を超える極限状態の中で、板を脱がずにシールを一瞬で剥がし、ブーツのバックルを締め、スキーをバックパックに装着する…この一連の動作をわずか数十秒で完了させます。
もたつけば数秒のロス。あっという間にライバルに抜かされます。
登り・下り・平地に続く第4の種目とも呼ばれるトランジション。雪山を守る軍人は、スキー技術だけではなく、装備運用のプロでなければならない―この伝統を受け継ぐ職人技こそが、スキーモ最大の見どころです。
驚異のカーボンギア
選手たちが使う道具にも注目です。
一般のスキーブーツが一足約2kgあるのに対し、スキーモ、特にスプリント用のブーツは、炭素繊維を活用し、なんと片足600gの軽量化に成功しています。これは飲料入りのペットボトル並みの重さです。
この「軽さ」への執念も、雪上のF1と呼ばれるスピードを生み出している理由です。
新競技「スキーモ」を見よう！
「スキーモ」で私たちが目撃するのは単なる新しいレースではありません。
かつてアルプスを縦横無尽に駆け巡る兵士が命がけで磨いた移動技術が、100年の時を経て、最先端のテクノロジーとともに持続可能な競技へと姿を変えて戻ってきたのです。
ルールを知れば知るほど、その奥深さにハマるはずです。競技ルールについては、ぜひこちらの記事で予習をしてください。
スキーモプレイヤーが愛用するブランド”Salomon”、夏の山でも最強です。超軽量シューズやバックパックで夏山を駆け抜けませんか？
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