Take away nothing else from this post except this: there are two sorts of events (technical and speed) in alpine skiing at Beijing 2022.
Although most skiers specialise in just one of the six events, “all-rounders” take part in as many as they can. By the time the Games conclude on February 20th, they will be the ones who seem the most exhausted.
There are speed events like downhill and super-G from comic books, technical events like giant slalom and slalom, and a hybrid event called combined.
Each sport features both male and female competitors, and the successful introduction of the mixed team parallel slalom event at PyeongChang 2018 is just one example.
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Super Giant Slalom, or Super-G
The super giant slalom, sometimes known as super-G, is a type of alpine skiing competition. The quicker downhill and this race are considered “speed” events, as opposed to the more technical giant slalom and slalom.
World Cup competition began in 1983, and the sport was later included in the World Championships and the Winter Olympics.
For both downhill and super-G races, the gates are spaced far apart. Skiers are required to make more turns than they would in downhill.
Yet they still travel at much faster speeds than in giant slalom (hence the name). Each competitor gets only one chance to post the fastest possible time.
Super-G courses at the Olympics are often located on the same slopes as the downhill courses, but with a lower initial starting position.
Downhill
An important part of alpine skiing is the downhill race. The FIS “International Ski Competition Rules (ICR)”.
State that downhill skiing places greater emphasis on “the six components of technique, courage, speed, risk, physical condition, and judgement.”
Than do the other alpine skiing events (slalom, giant slalom, super giant slalom, and combined).
In international competition, speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour (81 miles per hour) are not uncommon. To reduce wind resistance and maximise velocity, athletes need to master the aerodynamic tuck position.
The Super G vs. the Downhill
To begin, Downhill features a more extended track. There is a wide variety of terrains to contend with, from level to steep.
While flags (sometimes called poles or gates) are spaced out a bit closer than they formerly were, skiers will still need to keep their eyes peeled.
Because no fewer than three flags are issued to ensure they can always see the next one.
In contrast, Super G skiing requires a bare minimum of flags (also known as Super Giant Slalom).
There are typically 30 women and 35 males in each group. These flags are also widely separated, like in Giant Slalom competitions.
Conclusion
Skiers in the Downhill race, as the name implies, are competing for speed and must negotiate large gates as part of the course.
Super G (giant slalom) is a skiing competition in which skiers prioritise speed and agility while navigating a course marked by gates and other markers.
While both Downhill and Super G involve fast turns, the participants in the latter employ special ski poles designed for the task.
