Medals
| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 5 | 6 |
Alpine Skiing
(Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)
Downhill
Super-G
Slalom
Giant Slalom
Alpine Combined
Team Event
What's this sport all about:
Ski instructors could not compete at the first Alpine Skiing event in 1936. Ski instructors are considered professionals, and at that time the Olympics were meant for amateurs.
The shortest alpine event is the Slalom, but skiers have to make their way through the most gates so it requires the most technical skill.
Two different poles are used for Alpine Skiing: a curved one for downhill events to minimize air resistance and a long, straight one in slalom events to help skiers knock the poles out of their way.
In the downhill event, skiers can reach speeds over 130 kilometres/h — that's faster that the speed limit on a regular Canadian highway!
Canada has won 11 medals since Alpine Skiing debuted at the Olympics in 1936 — eight won by women and three by men.
When to watch
of events:
of events:
Our Canadian Athletes
Things to watch for
Julien Lizeroux of France competes during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Slalom, Austria. (Photo by Hans Bezard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)
Bluebird Day: Alpine skiers love a bluebird day — this is what they call a calm, sunny day after a night of fresh snow!
Manuel Osborne-paradis of Canada competes during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Downhill, Germany. (Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)
Fall Line: They call the most direct route down a ski hill the “fall line.”
Marcel Hirscher of Austria competes the FIS Ski World Cup, Sweden. (SOREN ANDERSSON/AFP/Getty Images)
Missed a Gate? If an athlete misses a gate during an event, they are allowed to hike back up the hill and try to pass through the gate before they continue through the course.
