What is Alpine Skiing?

The reason why they call it alpine skiing is because the slopes of the mountains are called the alpine. There are several different types of skiing, including downhill, slalom, acrobatic and combined. If you want to know more about the type of skiing, read the following article.

Downhill Skiing

Alpine skiing is a sport where skiers slide down snow covered mountains. This is a competitive and athletic sport that originated in the Alps in the 19th century. It has been part of the Winter Olympics since 1936. The sport has spread to countries with artificial and natural snow slopes.

There are four main types of alpine skiing events: Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super G, and Combined. Each type of race has its own unique benefits and risks.

Depending on which event you choose to participate in, you will be required to complete a predetermined course that tests your speed and technique. These courses are made up of jumps, steep turns, and shallow dips. Most downhill courses have a vertical drop of about 800m for men and 450m for women.

Slalom Skiing

Slalom skiing is one of the five alpine ski disciplines that are part of the Winter Olympic Games program. This is a high-speed event with a lot of turns. The winner is the one who completes the course with the fastest time.

It is considered the sport's most technical discipline. There are about forty-five to seventy gates in each course. Skiers must complete the course in prescribed order.

Downhill is also considered the sport's premier discipline. These courses have a vertical drop of up to 1100m for men and 400m to 800m for women. They include jumps, shallow dips, and a few challenging turns.

Another alpine discipline is super giant slalom. Also called super-G, this discipline combines downhill speed with high-speed turns. It made its World Cup debut in 1982 and was added to the world championships in 2002.

Giant Slalom

Alpine skiing is one of the most popular winter sports, besides an apline snowboarding. There are many different disciplines in the sport. These include downhill, slalom, super-G, combined, and biathlon. Each discipline has different rules and requirements.

Downhill is the first of the "speed" events in alpine skiing. It tests the speed and technicality of the skier. It requires a short course with a steep vertical drop.

The course also has a few bumps. This allows skiers to make quick turns. During a downhill course, the skier must pass through several rectangle-shaped gates.

Unlike downhill courses, slalom courses are shorter and have more gates. Usually, a slalom course has about 140m to 220m of vertical drop.

Giant slalom is similar to slalom, except for the fact that the gates are rectangular instead of round. There are also more turns in this event.

Acrobatic Skiing

Alpine skiing is a sport that consists of sliding down hills on skis. Various types of alpine skiing can be found in the Alps, in South America, and in Asia.

In order to perform, skiers need to use acrobatics and other difficult moves. Athletes have the ability to jump up to six meters high, swoop around, and twist in the air. They can also perform spins. Skiers have the choice to use skis with fixed or free heel bindings.

The first round of competition consists of a qualifying round and a knockout round. Each skier is scored on a number of aspects. Skiers are judged on technique, speed, and difficulty of their acts.

The next round, a final round, consists of three knockout rounds. Scores are calculated by adding the scores of the middle three judges.

Combined Alpine Skiing

Combined alpine skiing is a winter sport in which skiers perform two runs. The first run is designed to measure speed while the second is designed to test all-around skill.

Unlike downhill, the combined event isn't as punishing. This is largely because skiers are allowed to use shorter skis, which help to limit their speed on straightaways.

Combined alpine skiing is the oldest alpine event in the Olympic program. It first appeared in 1936. Since then, it hasn't featured in the World Cup calendar. However, it will be a part of the Beijing 2022 Winter Games programme.

Using a combination of downhill and slalom, combined alpine skiing is an event that requires both speed and technical skill. The winner is the skier who manages to achieve the shortest total time in both runs.