Between 27 April and 2 May 2026, the East European Mountain Guides Association (EEMGA) organised the entry test for the IFMGA Mountain Guide training programme in Chamonix.
Over six days, 19 candidates were assessed in skiing, rock climbing, and ice climbing through a series of classic one-ice-axe climbs, steep ice climbs, and uphill as well as downhill skiing in variable terrain. Each discipline was evaluated with a focus on safety, movement quality, terrain and snow reading, and overall efficiency. The week brought together candidates and staff in real alpine terrain, providing everyone with a first shared experience of the standards and expectations required throughout the programme.
The examination team consisted of IFMGA guides:
- Kyriakos Rossidis (Technical Director of the East European Mountain Guides Association),
- Kurt Walde (President of the IFMGA Technical Commission),
- Cristina Pogacean (Instructor with the East European Mountain Guides Association),
- Lorenz Frutiger (Technical Director of SBV-ASGM),
- Cosmin Andron (Training Coordinator of the East European Mountain Guides Association),
- Jean-Sébastien Knoertzer (ENSA Instructor).
Together, they observed, assessed, debriefed, and supported the candidates throughout the week. Their combined perspectives from EEMGA, IFMGA, and partner organisations ensured evaluations aligned with international standards while remaining closely linked to day-to-day guiding practice. Following the assessments, nine candidates were invited to join the EEMGA–IFMGA training scheme, leading to full IFMGA Mountain Guide certification after 136 days of training and assessment spread over a minimum of 3 years and 3 months. The programme covers the full range of guiding activities—rock, alpine, and ski—through courses, supervised practice, and final examinations designed to progressively build technical competence, decision-making ability, and leadership skills.
The trainees admitted from the 2026 entry test are:
- Barna Bekesi (Hungary / France)
- Sian Brie (Romania)
- Daniel Burcea (Romania)
- Benjamin Landau (Israel / Austria)
- Alexandru Lungan (Romania / France)
- Oana Matei (Romania)
- Yeh Shang Nip (Hong Kong)
- Gregory van der Donk (Belgium / France)
- Georgy Zhuravlev (Russia / Italy)
They are joined by Laurent Bellanger (France / Poland), who was retained from an earlier entry test and is now integrated into the same training cycle, bringing his own experience and local knowledge to the new group.
Immediately following the entry test, the trainees moved into the first module of their programme: a first aid and Guide Medic course delivered in partnership with IFREMMONT in Chamonix. The course focused on mountain emergency medicine, trauma management, and structured response to incidents in remote terrain. This first module sets the tone for the rest of the curriculum, emphasising the responsibility IFMGA guides carry for their guests’ safety alongside their technical skills. Over the coming years, this new generation of trainees will progress through EEMGA’s structured curriculum of rock, alpine, and ski modules, supervised guiding practice, and final examinations, preparing them to work as IFMGA Mountain Guides worldwide.
