MAIN Sports Olympic Games Alpine Skiing

© LaPresse

Along with popularity of figure skating, the Alpine downhill is one of the most anticipated spectacles of the Winter Games.

It all begins as racers curl up in a "tuck" position. This is to gain aerodynamic speed as they hurtle down the mountain at times in excess of 120 km/h (75 miles per hour).

Exciting and action-packed, it's a race against the clock as top skiiers from around the world compete in such events as the Slalom, Super-G and the Nordic combined.

Each has its own rules and discipline, but all of them maintain the same level of excitement as competitors try to outdo one another (sometimes by hundredths of seconds) down the steep and hard-packed slopes.

Speed and agility are the two mainstains of competitors in the Super-G competition, which features the blue and red alternating gates that number at least 35 for the men and 30 for the women.

This is followed by the Giant Slalom, where the gates become closer, and the demand for maneuverability is at its utmost. The Nordic Combined includes both a downhill and a slalom descent, which combines a total for times acheived over the two events to determine the winner.

Alpine Skiiers we watched in 2006:

Fritz Strobl - The defending Olympic downhill champ had looked in fine form at the World Cup races when he broke his hand in a fall at the Kitzbuehel downhill in January. However, don't underestimate this tough Austrian and Olympic veteran who vows he will take gold again in 2006.

Bode Miller - Without a doubt the hottest alpine skiier in the world, Miller made national headlines in 2005 by becoming the first American to have won three World Championship gold medals. He has now won more Olympic and World Championships medals than any U.S. skier ever.

More about Olympic alpine skiing around the Web:

FIS Ski - Alpine Skiing - The complete Olympic schedule at a glance, from the International Ski Federation.

U.S. Ski Team - U.S. Olympic team overview, headlines news, video reports, TV schedules.

Official Website for Alpine Canada - Event schedules and headline news, in English and French.

Snowport GB - Official British team info featuring proflles, pictures, event schedule.

Short History of Skiing - Classic history of the sport archived by Skiing Heritage magazine.

also see in Sports Idols -> Bode Miller

also in Winter Olympics -> Biathlon | Bobsled

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