The Basques in the Winter Olympic Games. Despite the lack of snow and adequate facilities for skiing in our region, it is known that most Gipuzkoan skiers learned and practiced skiing in the Aralar mountain range.
The first Gipuzkoan woman to compete in the Winter Olympic Games was Silvia del Rincón (whose favorite event was the special slalom). After competing in two World Cups, she earned her ticket to the Albertville Winter Olympics. Also participating was the great Biscayan skier Ainhoa Ibarra Astelarra.
At the Salt Lake City Games, there were two male Basque representatives: Iker Fernández (snowboard) and Haritz Zunzunegi (cross-country skiing). Iker was unable to achieve a good result in the halfpipe event.