How is starting order and bib assignment determined in Olympic ski mountaineering?
Ski mountaineering has a set bib assignment order related to rankings on the Olympic Sprint Ranking List (OSRL) and the Olympic Mixed Relay Ranking List (OSRRL), which factors an NOC’s results in the ISMF World Cup within the qualification period and the 2025 Ski Mountaineering World Championships. The best athlete or NOC in each ranking list has the No. 1 bib, the second best wears No. 2, etc.
Athletes for the sprint race are organized into the following heats based on bib number:
| No. | Heat 1 | Heat 2 | Heat 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bib No. 1 | Bib No.2 | Bib No. 3 |
| 2 | Bib No. 6 | Bib No. 5 | Bib No. 4 |
| 3 | Bib No. 7 | Bib No. 8 | Bib No. 9 |
| 4 | Bib No. 12 | Bib No. 11 | Bib No. 10 |
| 5 | Bib No. 13 | Bib No. 14 | Bib No. 15 |
| 6 | Bib No. 18 | Bib No. 17 | Bib No. 16 |
The best-ranked athlete (by bib number) in each heat enters the starting area and chooses their position on the start line, followed sequentially by the rest of the athletes in the heat.
For the semifinals, the ranking is based on the results of the heats. The top-three finishers of each heat automatically qualify for the semifinal round, with three “Lucky Losers,” or the three best remaining athlete times that don’t automatically qualify, making up the final three slots :
| 1* | Heat 1 No. 1 |
| 1* | Heat 2 No. 1 |
| 3 | Heat 3 No. 2 |
| 4 | Heat 3 No.3 |
| 5 | Lucky Loser 1 |
| 6 | Lucky Loser 3 |
| 1 | Heat 3 No. 1 |
| 2* | Heat 1 No. 2 |
| 2* | Heat 2 No. 2 |
| 4* | Heat 3 No. 3 |
| 4* | Heat 2 No. 3 |
| 6 | Lucky Loser 2 |
*For athletes with the same rank in the previous phase, the athlete with the best race time of the previous heat chooses his or her position on the starting line first*
The semifinal races determine the order for choosing the starting position in the final race:
| 1st position | Fastest semifinal winner |
| 2nd position | Second-fastest semifinal winner |
| 3rd position | Fastest time of the second-place semifinal finishers |
| 4th position | Second-fastest time of the second-place semifinal finishers |
| 5th position | 1st Lucky Loser: Fastest time among all semifinal finishers not yet qualified |
| 6th position | 2nd Lucky Loser: Second-fastest time among all semifinal finishers not yet qualified |
For the mixed doubles start, six teams are set starting next to each other on the front line with a second starting line 2.5 meters (approximately 8 feet) behind. The female athlete from each team starts the race and chooses the position on the starting line, with bib No. 1 selecting the first position of the mixed relay teams.
For sprint races, starting lanes each are 1m to 2m (approximately 3 feet to 6.5 feet).