How does a parallel ski race work?
I · Intermediate · The events · 2 of 4In a parallel race two racers go side by side down matching red and blue courses. After a qualification run, the fastest 32 race knockout heats of two runs, swapping courses for the second. In the mixed team parallel, nations of two women and two men race four legs; each leg won scores a point.
How it works
- Courses: two, as equal as possible; red on the skier's left, blue on the right.
- Qualification: every racer runs; the fastest 32 go through.
- Heats: two runs, changing courses; the lower total time goes through.
- Penalty time: a racer who fails to finish the first run starts the second 0.50 seconds behind.
- Disqualified: for changing course, interfering with the opponent or missing a gate.
- Mixed team parallel: up to six per nation, at least two of each gender; four legs a heat.
- Team scoring: one point per leg won; a 2-2 tie goes to the better best woman's and best man's times.
- KO system: a qualification, two knockout runs on new courses and a final of nine.
The glossary has the parallel, the mixed team parallel, the KO system, the team event, the DSQ and the correct passage of a gate.
Tricky cases
Both racers fall in the first run of a heat. Who wins it?
The one who completed more gates.
A racer brushes into the other course by accident. Penalty?
Interfering with an opponent disqualifies, whether accidental or not.
The heat is tied after both runs. Who goes through?
The winner of the second run; if that is tied too, the lower bib.
Why is a parallel gate different?
It is two poles with a single panel, and the racer must pass the turning pole in the direction of the turn.
Why the rule exists
Head-to-head racing is easy for spectators to follow. Swapping courses between runs cancels out any difference between the two sides.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Individual parallel | 32 qualify, two-run heats | FIS 1230 |
| Mixed team parallel | Four legs, points per leg | FIS 1212 |
| KO system | Three-run knockout to a final of nine | FIS 1240 to 1242 |
From the rule book
FIS, ICR Book IV: Joint Regulations for Alpine Skiing (edition July 2026), articles 1210 to 1242 and 661.4.2. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the FIS ICR, revised by the FIS Council each season.