Alpine Skiing

The thrill of the downhill, the technique of the slalom, the style of the giant slalom, the force of the super-G and the versatility of combined.

Here are all the elements that have turned alpine skiing and its various disciplines into the most practised of winter sports and the most beloved among all fans of mountains and snow.

One or two heats for a breathtaking race against the clock.

Alpine skiing specialities are as follows:

• Downhill (DH)

• Slalom(SL)

• Giant slalom (GS)

• Super-G (SG)

• Combined (K)

In each speciality, the winner is the competitor who, during the race, and without missing any of the gates, records the fastest time. All times are expressed in minutes first, then seconds, followed by hundredths of seconds.

Spectacle and Speed

The downhill discipline is the most spectacular of the alpine skiing specialities. Downhill skiers always seek to maximise their aerodynamic efficiency where possible over the course: choosing the shortest trajectories and allowing their skis to slide over the snow thereby creating as little friction as possible. They sometimes reach speeds of over 120 km/h. The height difference of the men's events course varies between 800 and 1,100 metres, and between 500 and 800 metres for the ladies competition. Athletes are required to pass through the red gates arranged perpendicularly to the line of the descent. To be able to participate in the races it is essential to take part in the timed heats over the same course. The timed heats determine the starting order of the race.

The super-G originated at the start of the eighties and is a sort of halfway house between downhill and giant slalom racing, although nowadays it is closer to the downhill both for its speed and technical elements. The men’s super-G races are carried out over a difference in altitude that varies from between 500 and 650 metres. For the women's races, on the other hand, it varies from 400 to 600 metres. The course is marked with blue and red alternating gates that are at least 35 in number for men and 30 for women. These gates form changes of directions that correspond to not more than 10% of the difference in altitude. There is no provision for any heats over the course and the use of helmets is compulsory.

Technique and Precision

In the giant slalom the gates are closer than to those for the speed races. It is therefore necessary to display great control over the skis and rapidity in performing continual changes of direction. The difference in level varies from 300 to 450 metres for the men’s competition and 300 to 400 metres for the women's. The discipline comprises two heats over the same slope, but with different courses. The winning athlete is the one who achieves the fastest overall time. The number of gates is obtained from a percentage, between 11% and 15%, of the relative difference in altitude. More specifically, they are between 56 and 70 in number for the men and 46 and 58 for the women. The starting order for the second heat is organised by inverting the order of the first 30 classified in the first heat, or in special cases, the first 15.

In the men’s slalom the difference in level of the slope can vary from 180 to 220 metres, while for the women's slalom it ranges from 140 to 200 metres. The competition is carried out in two rounds over the same slope but following different courses, with the same procedures as those in the giant slalom. The gates along the course must be between 55 and 75 in number for the men and between 40 and 60 for the ladies. The slalom demands great agility and manoeuvrability on the part of athletes in order to avoid the dreaded ‘forking’ of the poles (i.e. when both skis do not pass on the same side of the pole). Slopes in slalom races are rather steep, with very hard snow, often artificially iced to avoid the premature deterioration of the surface caused by the sharp ski blades.

The combined discipline is comprised of a downhill and a slalom descent. The classification is organised on the basis of the overall times achieved in the two heats. This is a speciality that demands great all-round abilities on the part of athletes.

Source: www.torino2006.org

Event schedule