Alpine Racing - Competitive

Learn more by clicking this link and select "Competitive& Elite".

Competitive alpine skiing, also known as downhill skiing or alpine racing, is a sport where skiers race down a snow-covered mountain slope, navigating gates, to achieve the fastest time. It encompasses various disciplines, each with unique characteristics regarding course design, gate placement, and required skills. Key aspects:

1. Disciplines:

• Downhill: Emphasizes speed and requires a combination of technique, courage, and risk-taking. Skiers reach high speeds with few turns. 
• Super-G (Super Giant Slalom): Combines speed with more technical turns than downhill.
• Giant Slalom: A technical event with wider turns and more gates than slalom.
• Slalom: The most technical event with the shortest course and fastest turns, requiring precision and agility.
• Alpine Combined: Consists of one run of downhill and one run of slalom.
• Parallel Events: Involve skiers racing head-to-head on identical courses.

2. Key Elements:

• Gates: Red and blue gates, consisting of two poles connected by a banner, mark the course. Skiers must navigate around these gates in the correct order.
• Course Design: Varies for each discipline, with different lengths, gradients, and gate spacing.
• Time Trial Format: Skiers race individually against the clock, aiming for the fastest time.

3. Competitive Structure:

• FIS Alpine Ski World Cup: The premier annual competition for alpine ski racing, with events held in various countries.
• Winter Olympics: Alpine skiing is a major event at the Winter Olympics.
• Other Competitions: Lower-level circuits like the NorAm Cup and Europa Cup provide opportunities for development.
• National: US Ski & Snowboard is the national governing body for alpine skiing in the United States, divided into 3 major Regions (East, Rocky/Central, West), and divisions within each region.
• Western Region
• Divisional – Far West

All athletes who were not part of Team Palisades Tahoe during the 2025-26 season need to complete this form. This includes athletes transferring over from Palisades or Alpine Mountain Sport School, Mountain Camp, Summiteer, or Alpine Unlimited programs, as well as athletes from teams at other mountains.