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Is super-G the same as giant slalom?

Author

Sarah Smith

Published Jan 07, 2026

Super-G means super giant slalom. It combines the speed of downhill but the technical turning necessary of the giant slalom. The course winds more than the downhill course, but the gates are spaced out more so that the skiers can pick up speed.

What is the difference between slalom and GS?

Super G is more technical than Downhill because the vertical drop is less, and the gates are closer together. On the other hand, Super G is faster than Giant Slalom.

What does super-G mean in skiing?

Definition of super G

: an Alpine skiing event combining elements of downhill and giant slalom.

Whats the difference between GS and super-G?

It has the maximun speed. Super Giant Slalom (Super-G) It runs on a single manche. Giant Slalom The vertical drop for a GS course must be 250–450 metres (men), 250–400 m (women). The number of gates is 56–70 (men) and 46–58 (women).

What does G stand for in super-G slalom?

Super giant slalom, or super-G, is a racing discipline of alpine skiing. Along with the faster downhill, it is regarded as a "speed" event, in contrast to the technical events giant slalom and slalom.

22 related questions found

Whats the difference between slalom and giant slalom?

The giant slalom has characteristics of both the slalom and the downhill, the latter a longer, faster race. Giant slalom gates are wider and set farther apart, and the course is longer than in the slalom. The event was first included in the world championships in 1950 and in the Olympics in 1952.

Why is it called super-G?

The super-G stands for super giant slalom, an event that combines the speed of downhill with the more precise turns of giant slalom.

Is downhill or super-G faster?

Downhill is also the longest course. The women's downhill is set for Monday, Feb. 14, at 10 p.m. EST. In super-G, also known as super giant slalom, skiers also go at high speed but not as fast as downhill.

Is super-G two runs?

How many runs are there in super-G? Each skier makes just one run down the course and the fastest time wins.

How many super-G runs are there?

With Super G there is only one run. Athletes are allowed to inspect the course but typically no training runs.

What's the difference between alpine and super-G?

The alpine combined consists of one downhill run and one slalom run, both of which are completed on the same day. While the downhill can be performed on a super-G course, according to Olympics.com, the Beijing 2022 schedule has the events listed as downhill and slalom.

How fast do they ski in super-G?

The average speed in an Alphine Skiing downhill event is 60mph per hour (96km), while in super g events the speed is slightly lower due to obstacles on the track, athletes competing in super g reach speeds of 50mph per hour.

How fast do skiers go in super-G?

I thought so, too - especially after I learned just how fast these speed demons actually fly. According to the official Olympics website, downhill skiers reach speeds of about 80 mph, although they can travel up to 100 mph depending on the course. However, they don't always maintain that speed throughout the run.

Is giant slalom best of two runs?

As in the giant slalom, each skier makes two runs down two different courses on the same slope. The competitors are required to pass between all the gates, alternate red/blue pairs of poles. Both runs take place on the same day. The times are added together, and the fastest total time determines the winner.

How long is super-G?

Compared to the downhill, competitors will use a lower start gate (1,930m) and the course, set by Swiss coach Reto Nydegger, is almost 900m shorter at a total length of 2,267m. There are 47 racers in the start list.

Do you get 2 runs in slalom?

Slalom is considered a technical event. It features the shortest course and the quickest turns. Each skier makes two runs down the slope. The times are added together, and the fastest total time determines the winner.

What is the fastest downhill ski speed?

Official world records

  • Men-Ivan Origone (Italy) 254.958 km/h (158.424 mph).
  • Women—Valentina Greggio (Italy), 247.083 km/h (153.530 mph).

What is the fastest skiing event?

The Alpine skiing men's downhill event holds the distinction as the sport's fastest and most dangerous discipline. With its swooping blind turns, heavy compressions and high-speed jumps, the downhill is an all-out brawl against the laws of physics in the name of speed.

Are there gates in downhill skiing?

downhill skiing, ski race for speed on an adjusted downhill course that is marked by gates formed by paired poles, set at least 8 metres (26 feet) apart, through which the racer must pass.

How did Mikaela Shiffrin do in the super-G?

Shiffrin skied a clean and efficient run in the super-G, a speed race she has not entered in an Olympic Games, and made it across the finish line, finishing 0.79 seconds behind the gold medalist Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland. Mirjam Puchner of Austria took the silver. Michelle Gisin of Switzerland won the bronze.

Why do slalom skiers hit the gates?

Rather, hitting the gates lets skiers take the most direct route they can down each track, with the tightest, narrowest turns possible. The rule is that each skier must cross between each set of gates two gates on their way down the slope, and pushing through the inner-edge of the middle gate counts.

Is super-G the fastest?

classification of Alpine skiing

supergiant slalom (super-G), and downhill—each of which is progressively faster and has fewer turns than its predecessor on the list. Super-G and downhill are known as speed events, which are contested in single runs down long, steep, fast courses featuring few and widely spaced turns.…

What does ski out mean slalom?

Simply put, skiing out means missing a gate at any point during a ski race. The consequences of doing so are instant disqualification from the event even if it spans multiple runs, as slalom, giant slalom and the combined event do at the Winter Olympics.

What are the different slalom races?

At the Winter Olympics, five different disciplines fall in the alpine skiing category: Slalom, giant slalom, super-G, downhill and the combined. Among these five events, slalom and giant slalom are "technical" disciplines, while super-G and downhill are "speed" events.

How far apart are giant slalom gates?

Moreover, GS gates must be placed as follows: the distance between open gates is 22 ± 5 m with a maximum of three gates, including delayed gates, at a maximal distance of 35 m. At the delayed gates, a minimum distance of 15 m between the two consecutive gates is required.