Kappl, March 2024 - It is the newest event at the 2026 Olympic Games: Ski mountaineering, also known as Skimo. Dutch winter sports enthusiasts have long since mastered this sport, for example, the NK Vertical Skimo is being organised for the fourth time within the Poederbaas Freeride Festival! This is the ultimate challenge for ski tourers and splitboarders: touring upwards in a competitive setting. Participation is open to everyone, anyone who is a bit fit and has ever used skins to tour upwards can participate.
The concept is very simple, whoever is the first to reach the top can call themselves Dutch Champion. The start is in the valley of Kappl and the finish is at the festival site Sunny Mountain. Here 550 to 600 vertical meters will have to be covered. Just like in the NK Freeride, a distinction is made here between four categories: ski man, ski woman, splitboard man and splitboard woman.
There are a number of material rules for participating in the Vertical Challenge:
- An identity document
- A pair of skis at least 60 mm wide at the waist with steel edges over at least 90% of their length. The size of the skis is at least 150 cm. The skis are equipped with bindings that allow the heels to be moved on the ascent and locked on the descent. The binding must have a lateral and frontal trigger system, with or without a safety strap.
- A few skins. The skins should be able to be removed and repaired freely.
- A pair of alpine or ground type poles with a maximum diameter of 25 mm, with non-metallic rings.
- A pair of high shoes (above the malleolus). The shoes must not be adapted to the manufacturer's reference model. The shoes must be suitable for climbing and descending.
This year there is again a spectacular starting list, no less than 40 participants who will stampede to the top on Monday 11 March. You can find them in the list below:
|
StartNo. |
Billing Name |
|
1 |
Allard Sym Sprenger |
|
2 |
Bart Westenbrink |
|
3 |
Ben Sonneveld |
|
4 |
Bente Theeuwes |
|
5 |
Beth Berckvens |
|
6 |
Boaz Bego |
|
7 |
Casper Linders |
|
8 |
Christophe Roos |
|
9 |
Dave Jacobsen |
|
10 |
Eline Duivenvoorden |
|
11 |
Flower of the Haye |
|
12 |
Frederic Magnus |
|
13 |
Inez Maas |
|
14 |
Isabel Wigboldus |
|
15 |
Jan van Velden |
|
16 |
Jarno Smit |
|
17 |
Jasper De Bauw |
|
18 |
Jelle Mertens |
|
19 |
Joris Van Lieshout |
|
20 |
Kiki Agatha Verkerk |
|
21 |
Kris van der Wijst |
|
22 |
Leonard Taris |
|
23 |
Mick Roer |
|
24 |
Olivier Moyersoen |
|
25 |
Puck Coops |
|
26 |
Puck Ros |
|
27 |
Renske Mulder |
|
28 |
Rob IJff |
|
29 |
Sanne de Jong |
|
30 |
Sarah Kowalski |
|
31 |
Seppe Smits |
|
32 |
|
|
33 |
Stinus Vanhoof |
|
34 |
Susan Beks |
|
35 |
Suus Hania |
|
36 |
Thomas Stessens |
|
37 |
Tijn Wessel |
|
38 |
Tim Jilesen |
|
39 |
Martine van den Hoorn |
|
40 |
Tjalling Mulder |