Jackson’s Own: Anna Gibson Earns USA’s First-Ever Skimo Olympic Spot

The road to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy, just got a whole lot shorter for Jackson Hole’s Anna Gibson. Over the weekend, Gibson and her mixed relay partner, Cameron Smith, delivered a dominant performance at the ISMF Ski Mountaineering World Cup in Solitude, Utah, securing a historic Olympic quota place for Team USA.

This incredible achievement marks the United States’ first-ever gold medal in a World Cup Skimo event and, crucially, secures a spot for the country in Ski Mountaineering’s (Skimo) Olympic debut.

The pressure was immense. The Mixed Relay race in Solitude was essentially a winner-take-all showdown for the final continental quota spot for the Americas. Canada held a one-point lead over the U.S. in the Olympic Mixed Relay Ranking List heading into the event, meaning Gibson and Smith had a clear, high-stakes objective: beat Canada.

The duo did more than just beat them. They dominated. Gibson started the mixed relay race in the middle of the pack before tagging in Smith. He then tore uphill and jumped the team into the lead. From there, they never looked back. They crossed the finish line in a blistering time of 32 minutes, 17.6 seconds, well ahead of second-place Italy.

The performance was so powerful, one source described the teamwork as "electric". The palpable excitement of the partisan crowd, who braved a fresh 30cm of snow to line the course, likely helped fuel the American pair.

Anna Gibson’s athletic journey is unique and perfectly suited for the Teton environment. Although she is an accomplished professional trail runner, she grew up alpine ski racing in Teton Village before switching to Nordic skiing in high school. This diverse background laid a powerful aerobic foundation.

Gibson notes that growing up in Jackson played a huge role in her development. Living in a community full of extremely fit and passionate outdoor enthusiasts—from high-level climbers to cyclists—provided a unique training environment. This crossover ability is exactly what Skimo demands, combining grueling uphill ascents on skins, rapid-fire transitions, and technical downhill skiing.

Gibson views this shift as a "refresh," where her body and mind benefit from the change while she still puts in comparable physical work. This commitment to all mountain disciplines epitomizes the ethos of the freeride community.

Ski Mountaineering will make its debut at the 2026 Winter Games, featuring the Men’s Sprint, Women’s Sprint, and the Mixed Relay. The qualification secured by Gibson and Smith means the U.S. National Olympic Committee now has quota spots and can select athletes to represent the country in the event.

The high-consequence, alternating format of the Mixed Relay, which includes ascents, descents, and a crucial bootpack section, is perfectly suited for television. Gibson herself expressed excitement, believing fans will "love watching it on TV" because it is both "incredibly impressive and slightly ridiculous to watch".

For the Jackson Hole community, this is a monumental moment, proving that the local spirit of pushing limits in the mountains can translate directly to the biggest stage in the world. We look forward to watching Gibson and the rest of Team USA take on the world in Milano Cortina 2026.