2.3.1 Alpine Skiing
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Two Alpine Skiing events (Slalom and Giant Slalom) were introduced at the first Paralympic Winter Games in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, in
1976. Athletes in Alpine Skiing events must combine speed and agility while racing down slopes at speeds of around 100km/h. There are four
events on the Paralympic Programme: Downhill, Super-G, Giant Slalom and Slalom. Paralympic competition accommodates male and female
athletes with a physical disability such as spinal injury, cerebral palsy, amputation, les autres conditions and blindness/visual
impairment. Athletes compete in three categories based on their functional ability, and a results calculation system allows athletes with
different disabilities to compete against each other. Alpine Skiing is governed by the IPC with co-ordination by the IPC Alpine Skiing
Technical Committee using the IPCAS Rules and Regulations. Skiers with blindness/visual impairment are guided through the course by sighted
guides using voice signals to indicate the course to follow. Athletes with physical disabilities use equipment that is adapted to their
needs including single ski, sit-ski or orthopaedic aids. Alpine Skiing is currently practiced by athletes in 39 countries and is steadily
growing.
Competition Description
- Downhill:
- Skiers are timed as they race down a long, steep course that may include turns and jumps. They must pass through a relatively few
number of gates that are used as checkpoints. The penalty for missing a gate is disqualification. Each athlete is allowed only one run
down the course and athletes' times determine the order of finish.
Slalom:- The Slalom is a technical event. The course is shorter than other Alpine Skiing events with a high number of gates (55-75 gates on a
men's course and 40-60 on a women's course) that the athletes must negotiate. The penalty for missing a gate is disqualification. Each
athlete completes two runs on the same day on different courses. Times from the two courses are added to determine order of finish.
Giant Slalom:- The Giant Slalom is also a technical event. In comparison to the Slalom, the course is longer, there are fewer turns, and the turns
are wider and smoother. The number of gates is determined by the vertical drop and the penalty for missing a gate is disqualification.
Each athlete completes two runs on the same day on different courses. Times from the two courses are added to determine order of finish.
Super Giant Slalom (Super-G):- The Super-G is a speed event. The course is shorter than Downhill but longer than Giant Slalom and Slalom. The number of gates is
determined by the vertical drop, with a minimum of 35 direction changes for men and 30 for women. Gates are set at least 25m apart and the
penalty for missing a gate is disqualification. Each athlete is allowed only one run down the course. Athletes' times determine the order
of finish.
Super Combined (SC):- This event combines two disciplines, like one Downhill and one Slalom run, or a Super-G and a Slalom run. The result is calculated by
the combined time of both runs.
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Sports Equipment
- Skis:
- The skis used in Alpine Skiing events are long and narrow (minimum of 60mm). Men's skis are a minimum of 165cm and women's skis
are a minimum of 155cm. The maximum height of the binding plate is 55mm in all events.
Sit-skis:- Some athletes with a physical disability compete from a sitting position using a sit-ski, also called a mono-ski. As the name
suggests, mono-skis have a specially fitted chair over a single ski. The chair includes seat belts and other strapping, as well as a
suspension device to minimize wear and tear on the skier's body.
Poles or outriggers:- Skiers in Alpine Skiing events use poles for propulsion and balance. The poles for Downhill and Super-G events are curved to fit
around the body. Slalom poles are straight and usually have plastic guards to protect the hands from injury. Athletes in certain
Paralympic classifications (e.g. single-leg amputees who ski without a prosthesis, sit-ski users) use special poles called outriggers.
Outriggers have short ski blades on the end and help the skier with balance.
Boots and bindings:- Boots for Alpine Skiing events have a hard plastic exterior with extensive foot and ankle support. Alpine skiers use bindings that
attach at both the heel and toe.
Helmets:- Hard-shell helmets are required in Alpine Skiing events.
Goggles:- Goggles are used to protect the eyes and to maximize visibility.
Clothing: Alpine ski races wear lightweight, form-fitting clothing (all in one suit) to minimize air
resistance. Slalom skiers frequently wear pads to protect from injury.
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History
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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. From then on, the
development of skiing was rapid. Up until the 1970s, amputees and visually impaired athletes were the only athletes who skied. With the
introduction of the mono-ski, people in wheelchairs (paraplegics and double above-the-knee amputees) were also able to begin to ski and
race.
In 1910, the International Ski Commission was founded. The International Ski Association (FIS) was the follow-up
organization founded during the 1924 Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix, France.
The first documented Championships for skiers
with a disability were held in Badgastein, Austria, in 1948 with seventeen athletes taking part. Since 1950, ski races for athletes with
a disability have been carried out around the world.
The first Paralympic Winter Games took place in Örnsköldsvik in Sweden in
1976, with the official events of Slalom and Giant Slalom and three distances in Nordic Skiing, plus relays for both visually impaired
athletes and athletes with a severe disability.
Downhill was added to the Paralympic programme in 1984 in Innsbruck, Austria,
and Super-G was added in 1994 at Lillehammer, Norway. Sit-skiing or mono-skiing, was introduced as a demonstration sport at the
Innsbruck 1984 Paralympics and became a medal event at the Nagano 1998 Paralympic Games |