Alpine Skiing Essentials - Super G | CBC Sports

The super-G is an alpine skiing speed event that combines the swiftness of downhill with the precision of giant slalom. Racers reach speeds in excess of 100km/h, while negotiating fast, carving turns over a minimum of 30 direction changes for women and 35 for men. "You'll see a lot more turns, so the technicians will take over," says 1992 Olympic downhill champion and CBC analyst Kerrin Lee-Gartner. "You won't see a glider winning a super-G course. You've got to be a good turner."

Finding the most direct line down the course is essential in super-G due to the increased number of high-speed turns.

Racers must ski as straight as possible, while maintaining optimum speed and remaining in control, making it a balancing act between how many risks the athletes are willing to accept for a shot at reaping the ultimate reward.

The first step towards finding the most direct line comes during the course inspection.

Course inspection and finding the line

Unlike the downhill, there are no training runs for super-G races. And unlike the slalom and giant slalom, a super-G event has only one run, with the winner being the skier who passes through all course gates and crosses the finish line in the fastest time.

The absence of practice sessions makes the hour-and-a-half race-morning course inspection all the more crucial. During an inspection, skiers look at how the course is set, committing to memory every ripple, roll, and turn.

"They'll look at two gates, and you'll see them mentally analyzing it, closing their eyes, visualizing what it is they're going to do, what it is going to feel like when they come out of this section into the narrow trees or the next bump, exactly what direction they have and then they race it," says Lee-Gartner.

Racers have one shot at the course inspection, so making the most of the available time is vital for any athlete with podium aspirations. The world's best super-G skiers are often masters of this pre-race procedure. They memorize gate positioning, snow conditions, and anything they feel can give them an edge in the race.

Coaches also play a role in helping racers find the best line down a run, but in the end, skiers must rely on instinct, split-second judgment and athletic ability once they burst through the start gate.

Stance

The main super-G stance is aerodynamic, as in the downhill, to limit wind resistance against the skier. Racers primarily use a crouched stance called a bullet tuck, which is similar to the tuck used in downhill, but a bit higher and more stable so skiers can negotiate the series of high-speed turns with greater ease.

The knees are bent with hands out in front of the body, and shoulders curled inward.

The course — demanding skill and speed

The Olympic super-G course is held on the same terrain as the downhill, but it's shorter with more turns.

Racers ski through pairs of gates that are about six to eight metres wide and at least 25 metres apart for open gates (perpendicular to the course line) and 15m apart for closed gates (parallel to the course line).

It is more common for super-G racers to be disqualified for missing a gate than in downhill due to the speed at which the skiers must carve their turns.

A representative from one of the competing countries, usually a coach, sets the run the day before the race under the International Ski Federation's (FIS) supervision.

The nationality of the course-setter is chosen by a random draw of countries with super-G racers in the top-15 of the World Cup Start List points, and later approved by the Chief Race Director.

As in the other alpine disciplines, start order is an important race variable since weather conditions impact terrain conditions.

For example, if there's a lot of snow in the forecast, the top skiers might pick a position in the 20s to let a few racers carve some tracks down the course before their run. If the course is icy, the top skiers would likely select an earlier start number to take advantage of the fast conditions.

The first 15 racers are determined by a complex formula of ranking points called the World Cup Start List (WCSL). These skiers, starting with the top-ranked athlete, select any bib number in the top-30. Next, any racer with a minimum of 400 WCSL points is allowed to choose from the remaining top-30 spots.

From racer 31 and on, the athletes start according to their accumulated FIS points on the World Cup circuit.

Equipment

The paramount equipment concern in super-G, like the downhill, is that the racers' skis be fast. Team technicians help racers decide which type of skis to use, as different types of equipment run better in various types of snow and weather conditions.

Technicians also prepare ski bases with wax for increased speed, taking into consideration variables such as snow conditions, humidity, and temperature.

Alpine ski boots have been a controversial topic in recent years. Some racers have been accused of using insoles to illegally boost the height of their heels in their boots.

The advantage of a raised heel is increased control and flexibility at high speeds. The International Ski Federation has ruled the maximum distance between a ski boot sole and the base of a skier's heel is 45mm for women and men.

Super-G athletes also wear protective eye goggles, skin-tight, aerodynamic racing suits, and padded helmets.

What does it feel like? In a word, fast.

"Sometimes super-G feels faster than downhill because you have to turn so much more than you do in downhill, and you're still travelling at 100 km/h," says Lee-Gartner. "As a racer, because you haven't had time to build up with training runs, you go all out."