Alpine skiing is one of the headline events of any Olympic competition. Skiers often reach high speeds when careening down a snow-covered mountain. The races require strength, coordination, timing, resiliency and courage. Most of the top skiers compete in several events, while specialize in only one.
Downhill
The downhill event is the longest and most spectacular of all alpine skiing events. Skiers move at the highest rate of speed as they move down a course that requires control, acceleration, courage and technical skill. Downhill courses have long straightaways and challenging turns. Skiers may reach speeds of 90 MPH in the downhill event.
Slalom
Slalom is the most technical of the alpine events. In a slalom race, skiers will move inside and outside of gates on a course that features tight turns and discipline by the skier. The skier must calculate her run not to miss any of the gates because one missed gate causes a disqualification. The only straightaway on a slalom course is usually at the bottom of the course near the finish line.
Giant Slalom
A giant slalom event is on a longer course than the slalom. The gates are more spread out, and there is a chance to build greater speed as the skier traverses down the mountain. The super giant slalom event takes places on a longer course than the giant slalom, and the gates are even more spread out. Skiers don't reach the high speed they do on the downhill event, but they may approach 70 MPH in the super giant slalom.
Combined Event
Combined events test the all-around ability and endurance of a skier. The combined event features one downhill run followed by two slalom runs. The times for the three runs are combined, and the skier with the fastest time wins the event.
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