Paralympic Alpine Skiing at Whistler Mountain’s Creekside

Experience the thrill of watching Paralympic alpine skiers race down Whistler Mountain at speeds of more than 100 km per hour while travelling down a vertical drop that ranges from 120 to 800 metres. Their athleticism and commitment is truly inspiring.

Alpine skiing events include Downhill, Super-G, Giant slalom, Slalom and Super Combined. Athletes are classified as standing, sitting or visually impaired and compete against other athletes with a similar disability.

Downhill:

When the clock determines the winner, speed is everything. Featuring the longest course and the highest speeds in alpine skiing, downhill events are a thrill to watch. Each male athlete will ski a single run down the Dave Murray Downhill and each female athlete will ski once down Franz’s Run.

Super-G:

Combining the speed of downhill and the more precise turns of giant slalom, Super-G, short for super giant slalom, has a shorter course than downhill but is longer than the giant slalom course. Each Olympian completes one run and the fastest time determines who gets the gold.

Giant Slalom:

Similar to the slalom but with fewer, wider and smoother turns, giant slalom competitors ski two runs down two different courses on the same slope. Both runs occur on the same day with the first usually being held in the morning and the second in the afternoon. A combination of both run times is used to determine the total fastest time and gold medal winner.

Slalom:

Like giant slalom, skiers makes two runs down two different courses on the same slope, but the course is shorter and has the quickest turns. Athletes ski both runs on the same day and their times are added together to determine the fastest competitor.

Super Combined:

Olympians ski one downhill run followed by a slalom run using a shorter course. The results are added together and the fastest total time brings home the gold.

Find more information about the sport from Vancouver2010.com.