How does para alpine skiing work?
B · Beginner · Categories and classes · 1 of 3Para alpine skiing is FIS ski racing for athletes with a physical or vision impairment. The events are downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, combined, parallel and team. Athletes race in three categories: vision impaired, standing and sitting. Within each, skiers of different classes race together, and each time is multiplied by a class factor to rank them.
How it works
- Rules body: FIS.
- Events: speed, technical, combined, parallel, team.
- Categories: vision impaired, standing, sitting.
- Classes: AS1 to AS4, LW1 to LW12.
- Factored time: real time times class factor.
- Medals: by gender and category.
- Start order: vision impaired, standing, sitting.
- Guides: for vision impaired skiers.
The glossary has the para alpine skiing, the International Competition Rules (para alpine), the competitor categories, the factored time, the race factor and the guide.
Tricky cases
Is the fastest real time the winner?
Not always. The factored time decides.
Do sitting and standing skiers race for the same medals?
No. Each category has its own.
Who sets the race factors?
FIS, each season.
Can the jury change the start order?
Yes.
Why the rule exists
Factoring lets skiers with different impairments share one race and one podium in each category.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Vision impaired | AS1 to AS4 | C App 2 |
| Standing | LW1 to LW9 | C 4 |
| Sitting | LW10 to LW12 | C 4 |
From the rule book
FIS, International Competition Rules, Joint Regulations for Para Alpine Skiing (July 2026), articles 200, 201.6, 407.3, 415.1 and 1300. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: FIS para alpine rules, points rules, classification rules and equipment regulations.