20.500.12556/RUL-179902 A tribological perspective on friction and performance in Olympic snow and ice sports With 62% of medals at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina to be awarded in skiing disciplines and the remaining 38% in ice-based events, understanding the determinants of performance is critical. Despite extensive examination of athletes’ physiological, biomechanical, and psychological attributes, the role of tribology—particularly in understanding friction on snow and ice—has received less attention. This is a scientific perspective article outlining key tribological factors and highlighting their importance in Olympic winter sports. In skiing, optimising the ski–snow interaction requires a comprehensive understanding of how friction is influenced by snow crystal morphology, temperature, ski base material and structure, ski stiffness, skier technique, and environmental conditions. For ice-based events, friction is determined by a combination of ice surface roughness, temperature, and sport-specific preparation techniques, as well as equipment design (e.g. blade material and geometry, the running surface finish of curling stones) and athlete technique (e.g. angle of attack in speed skating, sweeping in curling). Ice preparation techniques further influence friction, with specific conditions tailored to each sport. In conclusion, advancements in Olympic winter sports have been significant. However, future breakthroughs in performance may lie in applying tribological insights to optimise the complex interactions between athletes, equipment, and the unique properties of snow and ice. This perspective article aims to guide future research by synthesising current understanding and identifying emerging challenges in winter sports tribology. sport skiing mechanics equipment gliding winter sports technology šport smučanje mehanika oprema jadralno letenje tehnologija zimskih športov true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2026-02-26 13:26:50 2026-02-26 13:26:51 2026-04-22 14:16:01 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2025 0 0 Str. 3229-3241 iss. 4 Vol. 21 2025 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 796.92 1825-1234 10.1007/s11332-025-01533-4 251151363 s11332-025-01533-4_(1).pdf s11332-025-01533-4_(1).pdf 1 AC92DC4AAE53AC521FE624C561A90525 308f5facc81aa3f50f8302911b0e893a59d0705669afd7b7b513bea7efd21d23 24ee1ef6-130e-11f1-a1ba-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=228826 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11332-025-01533-4 0 1c6a11ca-130e-11f1-a1ba-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=228825 Fakulteta za šport 0 0 0