Alpine skiing includes five disciplines. These are slalom, giant slalom, super giant, downhill and alpine biathlon. Athletes wear special equipment to overcome the slopes.
Alpine skiing is a downhill skiing from snow-covered slopes. The winner of the competition is determined by the time spent on overcoming the track, the length and complexity of which depend on the specific type of sports discipline.
In case of slalom, its length reaches 500 m. The athlete must not miss any of the gates located on the descent. For men and women, the standards for their number are respectively 60-75 and 50-55 gates. Each participant has two attempts. The winner is determined by the sum of the time spent on both descents.
The length of the track for giant slalom reaches 2.5 km. In addition, the elevation changes vary from 250 to 450 m. In this competition, women have only one attempt.
The super-giant competition is held on a track with elevation differences from 250 to 450 m for men and from 250 to 400 m for women.
Downhill skiing is carried out along the track, 2 to 4 km long. The number of control gates here is small - 11-25, and the height differences are 500 - 1000 m. Athletes reach speeds of up to 100 km / h and more.
The nordic combination includes slalom and downhill.
Athletes' equipment consists of skis and ski poles. Depending on the type of descent, the equipment can have different shapes, lengths and widths and are made of different materials. Thanks to this, the skis and poles withstand the stress during the race.
Slalom athletes have sturdy plastic boots, the special sole of which allows them to exert additional pressure on the ski surface, waterproof suits and goggles. Garments are made from high-tech fabrics designed to minimize air resistance. Ski goggles protect athletes' eyes from sun, wind and snow. Sometimes a mask can be used instead of glasses, which performs the same function. Also, the equipment includes a helmet that protects the head from injury.
