What is super-G in skiing?
B · Beginner · The events · 3 of 7Super-G sits between downhill and giant slalom: fast, with longer turns than giant slalom and more of them than downhill. It is one run, with no timed training run; racers only inspect the course. Turning poles of successive gates are at least 25 metres apart, and the course must not be set straight down the fall line.
How it works
- Vertical drop, men: 400 to 650 m at the Olympics and World Cup.
- Vertical drop, women: 400 to 600 m.
- Gates: four poles and two panels; 6 to 8 m wide when open, 8 to 12 m when vertical.
- Spacing: at least 25 m between turning poles; a delayed gate at least 15 m.
- Turns: a minimum number of direction changes set from the vertical drop.
- Line: racers choose their own line; jumps may be set.
- One run: the race is a single run.
- Yellow flags: used as in downhill.
The glossary has the super-G, the direction changes, the delayed gate, the inspection, the yellow flag and the fall line.
Tricky cases
Is there a training run before super-G?
No timed run. Racers inspect the course, and may free-ski the hill before it is set if possible.
How many turns does a super-G have?
It depends on the vertical drop: at the top level, at least 6 direction changes for each 100 m.
Can super-G gates be any colour?
Red and blue in turn, but the jury may choose another colour if a panel cannot be seen against the netting.
Does super-G have two runs?
No. It is always one run.
Why the rule exists
Super-G was created to test speed and turning together. Running it without training runs rewards a racer's ability to read a course at sight.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Olympics, men | 400 to 650 m drop | FIS 1001.1.1 |
| Olympics, women | 400 to 600 m drop | FIS 1001.1.2 |
| Direction changes | At least 6% of the drop at the top level | FIS 1001.3.4 |
From the rule book
FIS, ICR Book IV: Joint Regulations for Alpine Skiing (edition July 2026), articles 1000 to 1008. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the FIS ICR, revised by the FIS Council each season.