Downhill
Downhill is alpine skiing's fastest discipline, run on long courses with widely spaced gates where skiers glide at high speed in an aerodynamic tuck.
Overview
Downhill is the fastest alpine discipline, run on the longest courses with the fewest, most widely spaced gates.
Rather than forcing constant turns, the gates mainly guide the line, so skiers focus on gliding, holding an aerodynamic tuck and choosing a fast path.
Because the courses take time to learn, racers usually take training runs beforehand, and the event is decided on a single run.
What defines it
- The fastest and longest of the alpine disciplines.
- Gates are widely spaced and mainly guide the line rather than force turns.
- Emphasises gliding, an aerodynamic tuck and reading a fast line.
- Skiers take training runs to learn the course, then race a single run.
Getting started
- 1Focus first on comfortable, controlled skiing across varied groomed terrain.
- 2Approach higher speeds slowly and under coaching within a structured programme.
Other Alpine Skiing disciplines
The forms of Alpine Skiing sit alongside each other — explore the rest.
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Sports
- Alpine SkiingA downhill snow sport where you glide and turn down groomed slopes on a pair of skis.
- Speed SkatingA racing sport on long-bladed skates, powering around an ice oval or tight indoor track with long, rhythmic strides.
- SnowboardingA downhill snow sport where you ride a single board sideways down the mountain.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Discipline
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
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- Content updated
- 2026-07-09
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