Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics |
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| Governing body | FIS |
| Events | 11 (men: 5; women: 5; mixed: 1) |
| Games | |
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Alpine skiing is a thrilling sport where skiers race down snowy mountains, navigating around gates or aiming for the fastest time. It has been a part of every Winter Olympics since 1936. The very first event was a "combined" race held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
For many years, from 1948 to 1980, the Winter Olympics also counted as the official World Championships for alpine skiing. This meant that Olympic medal winners also received a special medal from the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Over time, new types of races were added to the Olympics. The giant slalom was first seen at the Olympics in 1952. The combined event, which mixes different types of skiing, was sometimes removed and then brought back. In 1988, the combined event returned as a full race, and the exciting one-run super-G race also made its debut. Later, in 2010, a faster "super combined" event was introduced, making the race shorter and more intense.
Today, countries in the Alps region, like Austria, are usually the strongest in this sport. As of 2022, Austria has won the most medals in alpine skiing at the Olympics, with a huge lead in both total medals (128) and gold medals (40)!
Contents
Where have the Alpine Skiing Olympics been held?
Alpine skiing events have been held in many different cities around the world. Here's a list of the host cities and countries:
| Year | City | Nation | Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Garmisch-Partenkirchen |  Germany |
2 |
| 1948 | St. Moritz |  Switzerland |
6 |
| 1952 | Oslo |  Norway |
6 |
| 1956 | Cortina d'Ampezzo |  Italy |
6 |
| 1960 | Squaw Valley |  United States |
6 |
| 1964 | Innsbruck |  Austria |
6 |
| 1968 | Grenoble |  France |
6 |
| 1972 | Sapporo |  Japan |
6 |
| 1976 | Innsbruck | Austria |
6 |
| 1980 | Lake Placid | United States |
6 |
| 1984 | Sarajevo |  Yugoslavia |
6 |
| 1988 | Calgary |  Canada |
10 |
| 1992 | Albertville | France |
10 |
| 1994 | Lillehammer | Norway |
10 |
| 1998 | Nagano | Japan |
10 |
| 2002 | Salt Lake City | United States |
10 |
| 2006 | Torino | Italy |
10 |
| 2010 | Vancouver | Canada |
10 |
| 2014 | Sochi |  Russia |
10 |
| 2018 | Pyeongchang |  South Korea |
11 |
| 2022 | Beijing |  China |
11 |
| 2026 | Cortina d'Ampezzo | Italy |
11 |
What are the Alpine Skiing Events?
Alpine skiing at the Olympics includes several exciting events for both men and women, and even a mixed team event!
Men's Events
- Combined: This event tests skiers in both a fast downhill run and two technical slalom runs. It was one of the first events in 1936.
- Downhill: This is the fastest alpine skiing event, where skiers race straight down the mountain. It has been an Olympic event since 1948.
- Slalom: In slalom, skiers make quick, short turns around many closely placed gates. This event has also been around since 1948.
- Giant Slalom: Similar to slalom, but with fewer gates that are spaced further apart, allowing for longer, faster turns. It joined the Olympics in 1952.
- Super-G: This event is a mix between downhill and giant slalom, with fewer gates than giant slalom but more turns than downhill. It was added in 1988.
Women's Events
The women's events are the same as the men's:
- Combined
- Downhill
- Slalom
- Giant Slalom
- Super-G
Mixed Team Event
- Team event: This is a newer event where teams of male and female skiers race against each other in parallel slalom. It was first introduced in 2018.
Which Countries Have Won the Most Medals?
The medal table shows which countries have won the most medals in alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics. As of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Austria is by far the most successful country.
Here are the top countries by gold medals:
- Austria: 40 gold medals
- Switzerland: 27 gold medals
- United States: 17 gold medals
- France: 16 gold medals
- Italy: 14 gold medals
- Germany: 12 gold medals
- Norway: 11 gold medals
Some countries listed in italics in the full medal table, like 
West Germany (FRG) (West Germany) and 
Yugoslavia (YUG) (Yugoslavia), no longer compete under those names. Germany has competed under different names over the years, but all their medals combine to a total of 40 (17 gold, 13 silver, 10 bronze) through 2018.
Age Records in Alpine Skiing
The Olympics have seen some amazing skiers, both young and old, set records!
Recent Records (2014)
- Bode Miller (36 years old) became the oldest medalist in Olympic alpine skiing when he won a bronze in the super-G at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
- Mikaela Shiffrin (18 years old) became the youngest gold medalist in Olympic slalom, winning gold in the slalom event in 2014.
- Mario Matt (34 years old) became the oldest gold medalist in Olympic alpine skiing, winning gold in the slalom in 2014.
- Henrik Kristoffersen (19 years old) became the youngest male medalist in Olympic alpine skiing, earning a bronze in the slalom in 2014.
Other Notable Records
- Michela Figini (17 years old) was the youngest gold medalist in Olympic alpine skiing before Mikaela Shiffrin, winning gold in the downhill at the 1984 Winter Olympics.
- Traudl Hecher (16 years old) was the youngest medalist in Olympic alpine skiing, winning bronze in the downhill at the 1960 Winter Olympics.
- Toni Sailer (20 years old) was the youngest male gold medalist in Olympic alpine skiing. He won three gold medals in 1956 (slalom, giant slalom, and downhill).
See Also
In Spanish: Esquí alpino en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños
- Alpine skiing at the Winter Paralympics
- Alpine skiing at the Youth Olympic Games
- Alpine Skiing World Cup
- FIS Alpine World Ski Championships
- World Para Alpine Skiing Championships
- List of Olympic venues in alpine skiing
