What you can't watch without
The rules you will see every few minutes, in the order you meet them. Each opens on its answer.
B · Beginner · 7 rules · Step 1 of 4The events
- How is an alpine ski race decided?Alpine racers ski down a course one at a time, against the clock, passing through every gate.
- What are the rules of downhill skiing?The downhill is the longest and fastest event.
- What is super-G in skiing?Super-G sits between downhill and giant slalom: fast, with longer turns than giant slalom and more of them than downhill.
- How does giant slalom work?Giant slalom has more and tighter turns than super-G, and is always two runs.
- What are the rules of slalom skiing?Slalom is the shortest and most technical event.
The race
- When is a gate missed in ski racing?A gate is passed correctly when both ski tips and both feet cross the gate line, the line between the turning pole and the outside pole.
- How is a ski race timed?The clock starts when the racer's leg below the knee crosses the start line and stops at the finish line.