Most people think of competitive skiing about once every four years, when the Winter Olympics roll around. That’s unfortunate because skiing can be a fantastic spectator sport. Speed, spills and plenty of thrills are the name of the game in Alpine skiing, competitive skiing’s most popular discipline.
International Alpine skiing is governed by the International Ski Federation and competitions are made up of 5 events for both men and women skiers.
- Downhill
- Slalom
- Giant Slalom
- Super-G
- Combined Events
With speeds averaging 80+MPH and topping out at over 100MPH, it’s easy to see why the Downhill race is the most popular of all Alpine events. The various slalom events are more technical, with skiers racing against the clock while they weave their way through a series of gates as they race down the mountain. As the name implies, the Combined events mix both Downhill and Slalom races into one with the times of each added together to determine a winner.
Times
One of the many things that make Alpine skiing so thrilling is the razor-thin time margins that separate a podium finish from a back-of-the-pack disappointment. It’s not seconds that matter but hundredths of seconds. No Olympic silver medalist has finished more than one second behind the winner since the 1960s. Every small mistake is magnified, so precision is mandatory.
Equipment
Equipment is vital in the pursuit of faster times. From skis to poles, boots to bindings, everything is precision-made with aerodynamics in mind. Anything to gain an advantage against the clock. The suits skiers wear are not designed to keep them warm in frigid temperatures but to reduce resistance as they scream down the mountain towards the finish.
Skiers and their coaches need serious geometry skills to win at the highest levels. While practice runs are allowed for the downhill event, skiers and coaches are given only a one-hour course walk-through for the slalom events. It’s the only chance they get to find the best path down the mountain. That’s not much time when life, limb and a possible medal are on the line.
Alpine ski racing is not for the faint-of-heart. But if you enjoy speed, cutting-edge technology and highly skilled athletes putting it all on the line it might just be a sport you want to pay more attention to.