Para alpine skiing is practised worldwide and features six disciplines: downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super-G, alpine combined, and team events. Not all disciplines are included in the Paralympic Winter Games. Athletes combine speed and agility while racing down slopes at speeds going up to around 100km/h.

 

Athletes compete in three categories based on their functional ability (sitting, standing and vision impaired), and a results calculation system called factored timing allows athletes with different impairments to compete against each other.

 

Athletes use equipment that is adapted to their needs including single ski, sit-ski or orthopaedic aids. Skiers with vision impairment are guided through the course by sighted guides using verbal signals to indicate the course to follow. The distance between an athlete and guide in slalom must be less than three gates and less than two gates for giant slalom, super-G and downhill, excluding delay gates and vertical combinations. Failure to comply will lead to disqualification.

 

In downhill medal events each athlete competes one run down a long, steep course, passing through a number of gates. Their finish time determines the final order based on ascending time. If an athlete misses a gate they are disqualified.

 

In the slalom competition each athlete competes two runs on the same day on different courses. Each course is shorter than other events but has a high number of gates that the athlete must negotiate. Times from the two runs are added together to determine the final order based on ascending total time. If an athlete misses a gate they are disqualified.

 

Giant slalom follows the same format as the slalom event but is a longer course with fewer gates, as well as a bigger distance between the gates than slalom. The number of gates is determined by the vertical drop of the course. If an athlete misses a gate they are disqualified.

 

The super-G is a speed event where each athlete completes one run down the course with their finish time determining the final order based on ascending time. The course is generally shorter than downhill but longer than slalom and giant slalom.

 

A alpine combined competition represents the final result of two disciplines - usually one of either a downhill or super-G and a single run of slalom. Each athlete competes two runs on the same day on different courses. Times from the two runs are added together to determine the final order based on ascending total time.

 

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) is the global governing body of Para alpine skiing. Ski Association of Hong Kong, China Limited is the member of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation in Hong Kong, China.
 

Source of information credit: International Paralympic Committee