Winter Olympic Sports

Alpine Skiing or Ski Racing

History

Gold Medal Skiing was initially used for hunting and transportation from as early as 10,000 BC by people in Northern Asia and Europe. Archaeologists have found cave paintings and pieces of wooden skis dating back about 10,000 years. Later, soldiers used them in different parts of the military in these northern countries.

Gold Medal In later years in these countries, skis would be used by the military, farmers, and for hunting wild animals because it was the fastest kind of transportation. By the late 1800s, people were skiing for fun when competitions like cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, and ski jumping started.

Equipment Used

Silver Medal Skis, poles, binding (they hold the boot to the ski), goggles, helmets, racing suits, and sometimes racers will use wax on the bottoms of their skis to help them glide over the snow better.

Silver Medal In the past, skis had a solid piece of wood like ash or hickory, but today, they are made out of a wooden core surrounded by fiberglass layers with titanium (metal) edges.

Rules

Bronze Medal Each event has its own set of Rules. See below.

11 events in this category

Women’s & Men’s Alpine Combined: Each person will have one turn on the Downhill and the Slalom. The athlete with the best-combined score will take a medal. (Added to the Garmisch Partenkirchen (Germany) Winter Olympics in 1936)(Added to the Garmisch Partenkirchen (Germany) Winter Olympics in 1936) (Gold medal winner (Austria) Johannes Strolz 2022 Beijing)
Women’s & Men’s Slalom: Skiers race down the track through sets of poles or “gates.” They do not have to hit the poles, but most do because it will give the skier the fastest and most direct path to the finish line. Skiers must make their way around each “gate,” alternating around each one. Skiers can go as fast as 60-70 kph (37-44 mph). Skiers will have two runs, each on a different course. (Added to the San Moritz (Switzerland) Winter Olympics in 1948)
Women’s & Men’s Downhill: Athletes will race down the track between 2.4-5 km (1.5-3 mi), going over hills and turns. Racers can reach speeds up to 129 kph (80 mph), if not faster, depending on the course and conditions. Each skier gets one run to get the best score. (Added to the San Moritz (Switzerland) Winter Olympics in 1948)
Women’s & Men’s Giant Slalom: Skiiers must race down a track also going through poles or “gates,” but on this course, the poles or “gates” are more spread out. Skiers must make their way around each “gate,” alternating around each one. They can reach speeds of 80 kph (50 mph). Each athlete will have two runs, each on a different course. (Added to the Oslo (Norway) Winter Olympics in 1952)
Women’s & Men’s Super G: Athletes go down a less steep downhill but with much tighter turns, and the course is not as wide. Racers can reach speeds up to 129 kph (80 mph), if not faster, depending on the track and conditions. Each athlete only gets one turn. (Added to the Calgary (Canada) Winter Olympics in 1988)
Mixed Team Event: This is a combination event for men and women, with two men and two women from each country on a team. They will compete in the parallel slalom, where athletes will race against each other down the slalom racecourse. After four heats, the team with the most wins will receive a medal. (Added to the Pyeongchang (South Korea) Winter Olympics in 2018)