The IOC offers the following Video News Release to all news agencies, broadcasters and online news platforms free of charge. Fans flock to the mountains to watch the newly introduced sport of Ski Mountaineering to the Youth Olympic programme saw Maria Costa-Diez of Spain win gold in the Women’s Sprint Final. Among the crowd were some of those closest to the Spaniard’s heart: “I was really overwhelmed with emotion, I saw my family and my friends cheering me on, because I had friends that have come from Cataluña. I am super happy to see them with me and be at the top of the podium. It is great.” Costa-Diez, who is 17, proved too strong in the closing stages for her nearest rivals, Silva Berra of Italy and the French skier, Margot Ravinel, winning the race in 3:22.45 seconds. Berra finished 2.53 seconds behind the winner to take silver. Ravinel won bronze. The Sprint is a short individual race, combining the essential Ski Mountaineering features and techniques. Part of the ascent is made on skis and another part on foot, with skis on the backpack. Finally, the descent from the top is made skiing in one single time. As its name implies, the Sprint is a very fast race. The total ascending elevation is of about 80 metres, with athletes starting and finishing in almost the same point. The first round is an individual qualification with athletes starting one after the other, every 20 seconds. After this qualifying round, athletes face each other in heats of 6 runners from quarter-final to final. The 3 best of every heat are qualified for the next round. Qualifying athletes race at least twice. In the final, the winner is the first to cross the finish line.