When is a gate missed in ski racing?
B · Beginner · The race · 6 of 7A 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. A racer who misses a gate must stop racing through further gates and is disqualified. Gate judges record every fault, and a racer may ask a gate judge whether they made one.
How it works
- Gate line: the shortest line between the turning pole and the outside pole or gate, at snow level.
- Correct passage: both ski tips and both feet cross the line.
- Straddle: one ski on each side of a pole is a fault.
- Losing a ski: without a fault, the remaining ski's tip and both feet must cross.
- Knocked-out pole: the racer must still cross the original line, shown by marks in the snow.
- After a miss: the racer must not pass any further gates.
- Gate judges: record the bib, the gate and a drawing of the fault.
- Asking: a racer may ask a gate judge if they committed a disqualifying fault.
The glossary has the correct passage of a gate, the gate judge, the turning pole, the loss of one ski, the DSQ and the gate.
Tricky cases
A racer misses a gate, climbs back up and goes through it. Allowed?
No. A racer who misses a gate must not pass any further gates, and one whose skis come to a complete stop may not pass earlier gates either.
A racer loses a ski but goes through every gate on the other. Fine?
Yes, if losing it was not the result of a fault, and the remaining ski's tip and both feet cross every line.
Can a racer finish on one ski after a miss?
No. Once a gate is missed, the racer must not continue through further gates.
Who decides if a gate was missed?
The gate judge records it; the jury decides, and may use video and the adjacent gate judges.
Why the rule exists
Gates force every racer onto the same set of turns, so times can be compared. Writing down each fault gives the jury the evidence it needs if a decision is protested.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downhill, super-G, giant slalom | Gate line between two pairs of poles | FIS 661.4.1.1 |
| Slalom | Line between turning and outside pole | FIS 661.4.1.2 |
| Parallel | Pass the turning pole in the direction of the turn | FIS 661.4.2 |
From the rule book
FIS, ICR Book IV: Joint Regulations for Alpine Skiing (edition July 2026), articles 614.2, 660 to 670. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the FIS ICR, revised by the FIS Council each season.