What are the race levels in para alpine skiing?
I · Intermediate · Categories and classes · 1 of 5Races run at five levels: 0 for the Paralympics, World Championships and World Cup, 1 for continental cups, 2 national championships, 3 FIS races and 4 entry level. Rules such as equipment approval and the start draw vary by level. A FIS race director checks top events. In each race, vision impaired skiers start first, then standing, then sitting.
How it works
- Level 0: Paralympics, Worlds, World Cup.
- Level 1: continental cups.
- Level 2: national championships.
- Level 3: FIS races.
- Level 4: entry level.
- Race director: represents FIS.
- Start order: VI, standing, sitting.
- Results: by gender and category.
The glossary has the race level, the race director, the competitor categories, the standing category, the sitting category and the vision impaired category.
Tricky cases
Does equipment need approval at level 3?
Approved or provisionally approved equipment.
Who checks the slope at a World Cup?
The race director.
Can a jury put sitting skiers first?
Yes, it may change the order.
Are results combined across categories?
No.
Why the rule exists
Levels let rules tighten at the top, where equipment and seeding matter most.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Level 0 | Approved equipment only | R 305.3 |
| Other levels | Provisional allowed | R 305.4 |
| Start order | VI first | R 415.1 |
From the rule book
FIS, International Competition Rules, Joint Regulations for Para Alpine Skiing (July 2026), articles 305, 401.3 and 415.1, with the Rules for the FIS Para Alpine Skiing Points (2026/27), article 3.5. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: FIS para alpine rules, points rules, classification rules and equipment regulations.