Sport Description

Following the end of the Second World War, there was a systematic development of ski sport for persons with a disability, as injured ex-servicemen returned to the sport they loved. In 1948, the first courses for skiers with a disability were offered.

Alpine ski races for athletes with a disability have been held wherever there are snowy mountains since the late 1940s. Up to the 1970s, these races were limited to skiers who could stand, or had a visual impairment. The invention of the mono-ski – a seat fixed on single ski – opened the sport to athletes who could not stand to ski. Mono-skis are equipped with short outriggers (forearm crutches with shortened skis attached at the base for balance and steering). Slalom and giant slalom were introduced at the first Paralympics Winter Games in Örnsköldsvik in 1976. Downhill was added to the Paralympic Games in 1984 in Innsbruck, and Super-G was added in 1994 at Lillehammer. Mono-skiing became a medal event at the Nagano 1998 Paralympic Games.

How It Works

In Paralympic alpine skiing, racers can reach speeds of more than 100 kilometres an hour, traveling down a vertical drop that ranges from 120 to 800 metres. The vertical drop is made even more difficult by a series of gates the skiers must twist and turn to pass through.

In alpine skiing, athletes are classified as standing, sitting or visually impaired and compete against other athletes with a similar disability. Skiers with a visual impairment use the same equipment as able-bodied skiers, but ski with a guide. Skiers with locomotive disabilities may either use the same equipment as able-bodied skiers or a prosthesis (an artificial arm or leg) and stabilizers in place of ski poles (stabilizers are a type of crutch with a small ski at the end). Sitting skiers use a mono-ski.

Alpine events for men and women are downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super combined and super G.

Downhill

The downhill features the longest course and the highest speeds in alpine skiing. Each skier makes a single run down a single course and the fastest time determines the winner.

Super-G

Super-G (for super giant slalom) combines the speed of downhill with the more precise turns of giant slalom. The course is shorter than downhill, but longer than a giant slalom course. Each skier makes one run down a single course and the fastest time determines the winner.

Giant slalom

Giant slalom is similar to the slalom, with fewer, but wider and smoother turns. Each skier makes two runs down two different courses on the same slope. Both runs take place on the same day, usually with the first run held in the morning and the second run in the afternoon. The times are added together, and the fastest total time determines the winner.

Slalom

The slalom features the shortest course and the quickest turns. As in the giant slalom, each skier makes two runs down two different courses on the same slope. Both runs take place on the same day. The times are added together and the fastest total time determines the winner.

Super Combined

The combined event consists of one downhill followed by two slalom runs, using a shorter course. The times are added together and the fastest total time determines the winner.

For more information on alpine skiing (Paralympic), please visit the IPC's website.