Alpine and cross-country skiing words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 30 words · Step 1 of 2

General terms

Ski

The equipment on which competitors race. In alpine skiing the skis must have ski brakes and meet the FIS equipment specification. In cross-country the rules cover waxing, exchange and technique but not dimensions, which are in a separate FIS specification.

Poles

Handheld poles. In alpine starts the competitor plants the poles in front of the start line and may start only with their help. In cross-country the maximum pole length is 83 per cent of body height in classical competitions and 100 per cent in free technique.

Course

The marked route, a designated area on a specific slope or trail described by the FIS homologation. It includes the start and finish and other installations. It is closed to competitors from the time course setting begins.

Gate

Alpine slalom: two poles, or a turning pole alone in single pole slalom. Downhill, giant slalom and super-G: four poles and two gate panels, about 75 cm by 50 cm, in alternating red and blue. A gate is passed correctly when both ski tips and both feet cross the gate line.

Alpine skiing events

Downhill

A single run with gates set only to mark the racing line and at least 8 m wide, on a course about 40 m wide with a vertical drop of 800 to 1100 m for men at Olympic Winter Games, World Championships and World Cups, and 450 to 800 m for women. Official training of up to three days is part of the competition, with at least one timed run required.

Super-G

A single run with gates at least 6 m wide (open) or 8 to 12 m (vertical), at least 25 m between turning poles and a vertical drop of 400 to 650 m (men) and 400 to 600 m (women) at top events. Direction changes must be at least 6 or 7 per cent of the vertical drop, and the gates cannot all be set down the fall line.

Also called: super giant slalom
See also: Downhill

The ruleWhat is super-G in skiing?

Giant slalom

Two runs, the second on the same course with the gates reset or on another, with gates 4 to 8 m wide and at least 10 m between turning poles, set for 11 to 15 per cent of the vertical drop in direction changes. The vertical drop is at least 300 m at top events.

Also called: GS
See also: Slalom

The ruleHow does giant slalom work?

Slalom

Two runs on two different courses. Gates are two poles, 4 to 6 m wide, 6 to 13 m apart from turning pole to turning pole, in alternating red and blue, with vertical and hairpin combinations and delayed gates. Direction changes are 30 to 35 per cent of the vertical drop (180 to 220 m for men and 140 to 220 m for women at top events).

The ruleWhat are the rules of slalom skiing?

Combined

Alpine combined is a downhill or super-G run and a single slalom run, with the race times added. The result counts only if the competitor takes part in each event. Classical combined is a downhill and a slalom judged separately; triple and quadruple combined are also allowed.

Timing

In slalom and giant slalom the results are the sum of two runs. Start intervals are normally 60 seconds in downhill, giant slalom and super-G, and irregular in slalom. The start is timed when the competitor crosses the start line with the leg below the knee, and the finish is timed when the finish line is crossed on both skis, one ski, or both feet after a fall.

Also called: two-run format
See also: Course, Giant slalom, Slalom, Combined, Combined time

Alpine combined

The result of a downhill or super-G run and a single slalom run, two runs in all, with the times added.

Alpine course and equipment

Vertical drop

The height difference between start and finish, with ranges for each event: for example slalom 180 to 220 m for men at top events, giant slalom at least 300 m, super-G 400 to 650 m and downhill 800 to 1100 m.

Crash helmet

All competitors and forerunners must wear a helmet meeting the FIS equipment specification in training and in the race. Soft ear protection is allowed only in slalom, and skis must have ski brakes.

Alpine rules and officials

Start order

By FIS points, with the 15 best competitors drawn as the first group and the rest in points order. For the second run the first 30 start in reverse (the 30th first, the 1st thirtieth) and the rest in first-run order; the Jury may reduce this to the first 15.

Correct passage of a gate

Both ski tips and both feet must cross the gate line. If a ski is lost without a fault, the tip of the remaining ski and both feet must cross. A competitor who misses a gate must not continue through further gates.

Alpine skiing technique and rule terms

Tuck position

A low, aerodynamic crouch to reduce wind resistance. The rules do not define it.

Carving

Turning with the ski edges cutting into the snow rather than skidding. The rules do not define it.

DNF

Did not finish. A competitor who misses a gate must not continue through further gates, and one whose skis come to a complete stop must not continue. DSQ, DNS, NPS and DNF in the first run bar the second run, except in alpine combined.

Also called: did not finish
See also: Course, Gate

DSQ

Disqualification. Competitors are disqualified for racing under false pretences, jeopardising the security of persons or property, not passing a gate correctly, or not starting within the time limits. In slalom a false start is also a disqualification.

Also called: disqualified
See also: Gate

Cross-Country skiing events

Classic technique

The classical technique includes diagonal stride, double poling with or without a diagonal kick, herringbone or half herringbone without a gliding phase, and turning techniques. Single or double-skating is not allowed, and repeatedly changing or stepping in and out of set tracks is not allowed.

Freestyle (Skate) technique

The rules call it free technique, which includes all cross-country skiing techniques. Skating is not named in the rules.

Also called: free technique, skate technique

Distance race

A race of 5 to 20 km in nominal course lengths of 2.5 to 15 km, or more than 20 km on courses of 5 km and over. Distance races are held as interval starts or mass starts.

Sprint

An individual sprint over 1.0 to 1.8 km. It starts with a qualification round as an interval start, then quarterfinals, semi-finals and an A-final (and a B-final) as elimination heats of up to six competitors.

Mass start

All competitors start at the same time, from an arrow, angled or flat start grid, and the result is by order of finish. Bib 1 has the best start position in an arrow grid. If the competition is interrupted it is valid with at least six ranked competitors.

Interval start

Each competitor starts at a designated time, normally at half-minute intervals (15 seconds for a sprint qualification), and the result is finish time minus start time. A start more than 3 seconds early is a false start and more than 3 seconds late counts at the start list time.

Relay

Cross-country: a team of three or four competitors, each skiing one leg, at the Olympic Winter Games and World Championships four. The first two legs are classical and the second two free. The exchange is a tap of the hand on any part of the next competitor's body in the exchange zone, and pushing is forbidden.

Skiathlon

A mass start competition with a first part in classical technique, a mandatory ski exchange in a pit box in the stadium and a second part in free technique. The Olympic and World Championship distance is 10 km classical and 10 km free.

Pursuit

A combined competition where the start times come from the result of the previous competition and the finish order of the last competition is the result.

Cross-country courses and rules

Bib

Competitors must wear all identification (bibs, leg bibs, transponders) provided. Bibs must be readable from front and back, and in mass start, skiathlon, pursuit and individual sprint a bib is also fixed to the leg nearest the finish camera (for team sprint and relay, the finishing competitor's leg).

See also: Sprint, Mass start, Relay, Skiathlon, Pursuit

Nordic combined (Related Event)

Nordic combined

A combination of ski jumping and cross-country skiing.