Everything you need to know about slalom skiing

Mountain skiing is a type of skiing, the essence of which consists of skiing down the mountains on a track marked with special flags and gates. Mountain skiing includes five sports disciplines: slalom, giant slalom, supergiant slalom, downhill skiing, and ski combination. What is slalom? What peculiarities does it have?

General information

Slalom is a discipline that involves covering a 450-500 meters’ long distance that is located on a downhill skiing course. The slalom track is marked with gates, which are 3.5-4 meters wide. Approximately 0.7-15 meters of free space is found between them. Height difference between the start and finish line is 60-150 meters. During the slalom race, the athlete must pass through all gates, failure to do so will result in disqualification.

Slalom is a discipline that is included in various competitions:

• The Olympic Games, the most prestigious skiing competition, is held once every four years.
• The Alpine Ski World Cup is an annual series of alpine ski competitions held by the FIS.
• World Alpine Skiing Championships are competitions between the national teams that are members of the International Ski Federation.

Types of slalom

In addition to the classic slalom there are giant slalom and supergiant slalom. How are they different from each other?

The rules of the giant slalom skiing are distinguished by the increased angle of the slope itself, as well as its length. Difference in points from start to finish is 250 meters, the length of the section is 1 kilometer. Obstacles are also placed on the two routes, but more rarely. Gates now occur less frequently, and they have a larger diameter. On routes, there are a large number of obstacles in the form of bumps and hillocks. On the one hand, it complicates the passage, on the other hand it limits the speed of participants.

Super giant slalom is a combined direction that consists of the previous type and classic downhill skiing. It combines the most difficult features – the requirements for a large number of obstacles, three-kilometer section and high speed. It is a very physically demanding sport.

The track

In this matter the organizers of the competitions are following the historical composition of the events. The routes are located in natural environment. The mountain is selected by the following criteria:

• its height and the difference of the lower and upper points;
• surface features – bumps, hillocks, springboards;
• tamped snow;
• weather conditions;
• hidden obstacles.

When the trail is mapped out, the main preparation takes place – the snow cover is rolled over, additional flags and sticks are placed to mark the gates. Start and finish lines are marked.

Sports competitions should be held in places where the lighting is very good, and conducted communications are present to make a video. It is also a prerequisite that an ambulance is available.

Usually, bleachers are set up along the course, with a separate area for the judging delegates. After crossing the finish line, athletes must have their teams, coaches, warm drinks waiting for them.

Requirements for athletes

Slalom is one of the most difficult sports. During the race, there is a tremendous strain on the muscles. There are many requirements for the athletes.

• A short reaction time. Because of the difficult turns, unexpected obstacles and high speed, it is extremely important to react quickly and take action.
• Most coaches tend to believe that athletes with a height of at least 180 cm do better.
• Low weight. Slalom runs are easier for skinny competitors.
• A sense of balance. Because of the constant bends in different directions, it is extremely important to restore balance in time and make sure that both feet are firmly placed on the skis.
• Strongly developed muscles. This exercise involves work of all muscle groups, including hips, abs, arms, shoulders, and back.

Training

Usually advanced slalom skiers follow the following pattern, where each new stage is an additional skill, mastery.

1. Initial mastery of the route involves being able to perform correct non-speed entry into turns, and choose the best option when passing the gate.
2. Improvement of the technique of turns, due to which the time spent on them is reduced.
3. Increasing speed and reaction.
4. A gradual increase in the number of obstacles, increasing complexity of the terrain.

After a brilliant passage of such training, you can approach the slopes for the giant slalom.

Before the start of the competition, the athlete should carefully inspect the area and, if possible, fix in memory all the obstacles, the peculiarities of the snow. Standing at the start, you should not be distracted. This may cause the athlete to simply miss a bump or gate.

Equipment

Mountain skis are heavier, shorter, and wider than regular skis. They are usually made of composite materials and tailored to the specific athlete. The main criteria for choosing a pair of mountain skis are their stiffness, length, geometry and turning radius.

Another important element of equipment is the footwear – ski boots, to be concise. Ski boots have a large number of adjustments for an optimal and comfortable “fit” of the boot on the foot. Modern ski boots consist of an inner and outer boot. In addition, it might be a good idea to put on a special ski sock (reasonably thick and long).

Bindings for the boots consist of a front head and heel, which are installed directly on the ski or on a platform that is attached to it. Sometimes the ski-platform-binding systems are used, which make it easier to install the bindings and also allow the ski to flex under the rigid sole of the boot.

Ski poles are usually made of aluminum, composite materials or carbon fiber. A ski pole consists of four main parts: the handle, the tip, the ring, and the shaft. Curved poles are used for downhill or giant slalom.

Ski helmet provides not only protection from head injuries in case of a fall, but also comfortable skiing (ventilation of the head, protection from the cold and snow).

Skiing clothes should protect the skier from wind and moisture, but keep warmth well and have good aerodynamic characteristics. Ski equipment should be comfortable and loose. As a rule, a set of clothes consists of a jacket and pants.

History

Skiing emerged in Scandinavia in the mid-18th century. At that time, skis were the only means of transportation for peasants who lived in the mountains. The skis themselves looked a bit different than today: they were shorter, and instead of the usual two ski poles was one elongated with an extended end. The oldest surviving skis are in a museum in Oslo (they are 110 cm long and 20 cm wide).

The first ski competitions were held in Norway in 1843, the program of the competitions consisted of downhill skiing, ski jumping and cross-country skiing on the plain. In 1896, the Austrian mountaineer and skier Matthias Zdarsky made a non-stop downhill with turns. The “stumpy” technique is entirely his invention. In 1905, there was even a competition for skiers in the Alps, in which they had to make the maximum number of turns on a given stretch.

In 1911, the first downhill competitions were held. In 1936, slalom and downhill made their Olympic debut. Since 1988, slalom, giant slalom, Super Giant Slalom (Super-G), downhill and downhill have been on the program of the Olympics together, which means that slalom is a very popular sport that attracts many people.