Alpine (also known as downhill) skiing consists of five events. Men and women both compete in this Olympic sport. In each of the four events, competitors race down the mountain to see who can complete the course in the fastest time. Time is measured to the nearest .01, and ties are allowed.
Downhill
Downhill features the longest course and the highest speeds in alpine skiing. Most downhill courses begins at or near the top of the mountain. Alternating red and blue gates are spaced great distances apart, but not out of sight from each other. Scores in the downhill are based on a single run.
Super G
The Super-G is considered a speed discipline, like downhill, rather than a technical discipline, like the slalom races. Each skier makes one run down a single course and the fastest time determines the winner. Super-G requires skiers to ski quickly through a series of gates. Both feet must pass through the gate, or the skier is disqualified. The course is shorter than downhill but longer than a giant slalom course. Skiers need to be familiar with the course in order to avoid making wide turns that will cost them time. The first skiers down the slope have a smoother and therefore faster race.
Slalom, Giant Slalom
The slalom and giant slalom both require skiers to have good technique to enable them to ski down the course that involves much tighter turns than the speed disciplines. The giant slalom, a looser version of the slalom with fewer and wider turns raced on a longer course, also requires speed. The slalom features the shortest course and the quickest turns. In both slalom events, skiers makes two runs down two different courses on the same slope. The runs take place on the same day. The winner is the skier who has the shortest combined total.
Combined
The combined event requires the athlete to ski one downhill course, followed by two slalom runs. The times are added together and the fastest total time determines the winner. The combined downhill and the combined slalom competitions are separate from the regular downhill and slalom events, and the combined courses are shorter.
For more information, visit the official Olympic site. If you’re a visual learner, be sure to check out their Flash demos of the alpine disciplines.
You can try your hand at skiing in this online game.
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SLEEPING FOR SUCCESS
A former NASA scientist who worked with astronauts to reduce fatigue is now helping Olympians get a better night’s sleep.
‘’The proper amount of sleep can boost an athlete’s performance as much as 30 percent,’’ Dr. Mark Rosekind said.
Rosekind has teamed with Hilton Hotels, an Olympic sponsor, to modify 160 dorm rooms at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
The enhancements include sensory changes to temperature and lighting, and new mattresses and alarm clocks. Some elements of the ‘’Competitive Advantage’’ design will be replicated in the athletes’ rooms in Turin.
‘For an athlete, two hours’ less sleep than needed is the same as having a blood-alcohol level of .05 when it comes to the effect on performance,’’ Rosekind said.