Harbin, March 16 -- In a landmark moment for Indian winter sports, the tricolour flew high at the Yabuli Ski Resort as the 2026 ISMF Asian Ski Mountaineering Championships kicked off on Day 1 with a statement of intent.

Competing against the continent's elite powerhouses, Indian athletes delivered a performance that signals a new era for the sport in the Himalayas, according to a release.

The Vertical Charge: A Triple Top-10 Breakthrough, which saw the championships opened with the gruelling Vertical race--an event demanding immense cardiovascular strength and technical precision. In a historic surge, all three Indian representatives stormed into the top tier of the continental rankings.

In the Men's category, Siddharth Gadekar secured...