Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Alpine Skiing
The Winter Olympics are here, and that means Alpine Skiing is back on our screens!
You can view the schedule here. Snowboarding is on from 5-18 Feb 2026.
What is Alpine Skiing?
At Milano Cortina 2026, the Alpine skiing events will include speed events like downhill and super-G, technical events like slalom and giant slalom, and a mixed event, the Alpine combined (a mix of speed and technique).
Speed events
Downhill, like super-G, has long courses that take more than a minute and a half to complete, with large distances between the gates. This leads to the fastest speeds in Alpine skiing. Athletes can practise and test the track and ideal paths in timed training sessions before the race.
Super-G, also known as super-giant slalom, is the second fastest event in Alpine skiing and one of the most recent. It was introduced by the International Ski Federation (FIS) in 1982. The race follows a course lined with pairs of gates. Skiers are disqualified if they miss even a single gate during the descent. Compared to the other two slalom disciplines, super-giant slalom has much wider turns and is therefore skied at higher speeds. In fact, it is raced on the same slopes used for the downhill event.
The downhill and super-G races are held in one round. In both races, the winner is determined by the fastest time.
Technical events
Special slalom (or just slalom) is the shortest Alpine ski race, with athletes typically finishing in a time of 50-60 seconds and the most number of turns. Skiers have to ski down a course, weaving through a series of poles set up in quick succession until they reach the finish line. In slalom, skiers have to touch the poles as they pass through them, so they wear special protection on their hands, legs, and face. The slalom race consists of two runs on the same slope but on different courses. The winner is the skier with the shortest combined time from both runs. The starting order in the second run is the opposite of the qualifying run for the first 30 (the first to start is therefore the 30th in rank), while the 31st and up follow the ranking of the first run. The one with the shortest total time of the two runs is the winner.
Giant slalom is a race with an average distance of 20-30 metres between the curves, and takes about one to one and a half minutes to complete. The track has wider curves compared to the special slalom, and the gates are used to mark the course instead of poles. It doesn't require as many safety protections because the gates are hit less often. The race is split into two runs on the same slope but on different tracks, with all athletes who finish the first run participating in the second. The starting order in the second run is the opposite of the qualifying run for the first 30 (the first to start is therefore the 30th in rank), while the 31st and up follow the ranking of the first run. The skier with the shortest total time of the two runs is the winner.
Team combined
The Alpine combined event sees two athletes representing the same country race in one discipline each (downhill and slalom) The final ranking is determined by adding the times from both races.
Very brief history of Alpine Skiing
The sport of Alpine skiing was created in the late 19th century when Norwegian legend Sondre Norheim made skis popular. The sport made its Olympic debut at the Olympic Winter Games Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 with the combined (downhill + slalom) event for both men and women. In 1948, downhill and slalom races were added as separate events. The giant slalom was introduced at Oslo 1952 and the super-G at Calgary 1988.
Visit the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics Hub Thread for more!
You can view the schedule here. Snowboarding is on from 5-18 Feb 2026.
What is Alpine Skiing?
At Milano Cortina 2026, the Alpine skiing events will include speed events like downhill and super-G, technical events like slalom and giant slalom, and a mixed event, the Alpine combined (a mix of speed and technique).
Speed events
Downhill, like super-G, has long courses that take more than a minute and a half to complete, with large distances between the gates. This leads to the fastest speeds in Alpine skiing. Athletes can practise and test the track and ideal paths in timed training sessions before the race.
Super-G, also known as super-giant slalom, is the second fastest event in Alpine skiing and one of the most recent. It was introduced by the International Ski Federation (FIS) in 1982. The race follows a course lined with pairs of gates. Skiers are disqualified if they miss even a single gate during the descent. Compared to the other two slalom disciplines, super-giant slalom has much wider turns and is therefore skied at higher speeds. In fact, it is raced on the same slopes used for the downhill event.
The downhill and super-G races are held in one round. In both races, the winner is determined by the fastest time.
Technical events
Special slalom (or just slalom) is the shortest Alpine ski race, with athletes typically finishing in a time of 50-60 seconds and the most number of turns. Skiers have to ski down a course, weaving through a series of poles set up in quick succession until they reach the finish line. In slalom, skiers have to touch the poles as they pass through them, so they wear special protection on their hands, legs, and face. The slalom race consists of two runs on the same slope but on different courses. The winner is the skier with the shortest combined time from both runs. The starting order in the second run is the opposite of the qualifying run for the first 30 (the first to start is therefore the 30th in rank), while the 31st and up follow the ranking of the first run. The one with the shortest total time of the two runs is the winner.
Giant slalom is a race with an average distance of 20-30 metres between the curves, and takes about one to one and a half minutes to complete. The track has wider curves compared to the special slalom, and the gates are used to mark the course instead of poles. It doesn't require as many safety protections because the gates are hit less often. The race is split into two runs on the same slope but on different tracks, with all athletes who finish the first run participating in the second. The starting order in the second run is the opposite of the qualifying run for the first 30 (the first to start is therefore the 30th in rank), while the 31st and up follow the ranking of the first run. The skier with the shortest total time of the two runs is the winner.
Team combined
The Alpine combined event sees two athletes representing the same country race in one discipline each (downhill and slalom) The final ranking is determined by adding the times from both races.
Very brief history of Alpine Skiing
The sport of Alpine skiing was created in the late 19th century when Norwegian legend Sondre Norheim made skis popular. The sport made its Olympic debut at the Olympic Winter Games Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 with the combined (downhill + slalom) event for both men and women. In 1948, downhill and slalom races were added as separate events. The giant slalom was introduced at Oslo 1952 and the super-G at Calgary 1988.
Visit the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics Hub Thread for more!
Reply 1
Men's Downhill medalists:
: Franjo von Allmen (🇨🇭)
: Giovanni Franzoni (🇮🇹)
: Dominik Paris (🇮🇹)
: Franjo von Allmen (🇨🇭) : Giovanni Franzoni (🇮🇹) : Dominik Paris (🇮🇹)
Women’s downhill final is currently ongoing. Johnson from the USA is in thr gle medal positon at present,
Lindsey vonn uo now. Has a titanium knee appatnrly. 40 years old, 5 years out. And she crashed right away, looked nasty
Reply 4
Original post
by Andrew97Lindsey vonn uo now. Has a titanium knee appatnrly. 40 years old, 5 years out. And she crashed right away, looked nasty
We have a break now while the medics attend to Vonn, breezy Johnson leads for the United States from a German athlete who’s name I missed as I was getting a cup of tea.
Original post
by Geo Lover 7It's heartbreaking for her. She shouldn't have been allowed to compete.
Commentator saying she was airlifted to Hosptiwl 9 days ago. Competing seems a risk too far.
We don’t need to see multiple replays and her in pain BBC. Do better bbc/broadcastrs
Reply 8
Original post
by Andrew97We don’t need to see multiple replays and her in pain BBC. Do better bbc/broadcastrs
Original post
by Geo Lover 7The Olympic Broadcasting Service (OBS) provides the video, not the BBC's fault.
Realised that after I clicked send, bbc could still cut away to their studio coverage. But point taken.
this stoppage helps the early runners, the course will get slower now. No word on when we will get started back up. Vonn being taken away by medical helicopter, I assume that’s normal in itself for an event like this but seems odd she’s not inside but hanging underneath it
Reply 10
A brutal crash.
Apparently she had an ACL tear/rupture very recently. Slightly mad that you can be medically signed off to compete with that injury.
Apparently she had an ACL tear/rupture very recently. Slightly mad that you can be medically signed off to compete with that injury.
Back underway now. Goggia from Italy go3s p3.
Reply 12
Original post
by Admit-OneA brutal crash.
Apparently she had an ACL tear/rupture very recently. Slightly mad that you can be medically signed off to compete with that injury.
Apparently she had an ACL tear/rupture very recently. Slightly mad that you can be medically signed off to compete with that injury.
Original post
by Geo Lover 7Men's Downhill medalists:
: Franjo von Allmen (🇨🇭)
: Giovanni Franzoni (🇮🇹)
: Dominik Paris (🇮🇹)
: Franjo von Allmen (🇨🇭) : Giovanni Franzoni (🇮🇹) : Dominik Paris (🇮🇹)What about the women? Aicher won a silver medal for the German team, hooray!
Reply 14
Women's Downhill medalists:
: Breezy Johnson (🇺🇲)
: Emma Aicher (🇩🇪)
: Sofia Goggia (🇮🇹)
: Breezy Johnson (🇺🇲) : Emma Aicher (🇩🇪) : Sofia Goggia (🇮🇹)Original post
by Geo Lover 7Women's Downhill medalists:
: Breezy Johnson (🇺🇲)
: Emma Aicher (🇩🇪)
: Sofia Goggia (🇮🇹)
: Breezy Johnson (🇺🇲) : Emma Aicher (🇩🇪) : Sofia Goggia (🇮🇹)I do the same here at this place and add another medal ranking.
Women's combined team:
Austria Germany USA Yay, silver for the German team. Goody!
(edited 3 weeks ago)
A new day means a new medal ranking, here it comes!
Men's giant slalom:
Braathen (Brazil)
Odermatt (Switzerland)
Meillard (Switzerland)
A brasilian contestant won, what a surprise!
Men's giant slalom:
Braathen (Brazil) Odermatt (Switzerland) Meillard (Switzerland)A brasilian contestant won, what a surprise!
McGrath showed pure frustration. It stands to reason: he was on 1st place, made a bad mistake and got disqualified. I feel his pain.
Women's Super-G:
Bringnone (Italy)
Miradoli (France)
Hütter (Austria)
Bringnone is the athlete of these olympics: she wins two gold medals after a bad injury. That is so impressive!
Bringnone (Italy)Miradoli (France)Hütter (Austria)Bringnone is the athlete of these olympics: she wins two gold medals after a bad injury. That is so impressive!
Late addendum, but late is still better than never. Here is the medal ranking of
Men's slalom:
Meillard (Switzerland)
Grstein (Austria)
Kristofferson (Norway)
Men's slalom:
Meillard (Switzerland) Grstein (Austria) Kristofferson (Norway)Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics Hub Thread
- TSR Olympic Society Thread
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Freestyle Skiing
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Cross-country Skiing
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Biathlon
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Ski jumping
- Team GB's build-up to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Predictions Thread
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Snowboarding
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Skeleton
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics Chat Thread
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Bobsleigh
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Figure Skating
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Luge
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics - Wheelchair Curling
- TSR Olympic Lucky Dip 2026
- Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony Discussion Thread!
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Speed Skating
- Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics - Ice Hockey
- Winter Olympic sports hurt/heal game
Latest
Trending
Last reply 2 months ago
What are the worst movies you have watched?Last reply 2 months ago
Blush, Bills & Boundaries - A self-care and wellness blogCreative corner
5
122
Last reply 7 months ago
Best laptop for students, Expert recommendations to chooseLast reply 7 months ago
Laptop recommendations for uni
How The Student Room is moderated
To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.
