Alpine Skiing World Cup: What you need to know

La Alpine Skiing World Cup is a major international competition that has been held every year since 1967. Participants compete in high-level skiing events such as Downhill, Super-G, Giant Slalom, Slalom, Parallel and Combined. Each more spectacular than the next, it is a pleasure for the spectators. And in February 2023, Chamonix will host the kandahar, a legendary race that marks the return of Chamonix in Ski World Cup !

What are the Alpine Skiing World Cup events?

The descent

La Descent men and women is a speed test, with peaks of up to 160 km/h. As part of the Alpine Skiing World Cup, we opt for committed tracks, with curves and jumps that can reach ten meters. Male skiers descend a slope with a drop of 750 to 1,100 meters, while female skiers descend a track with an altitude difference of 450 to 800 meters. There are also doors to go through, the number of which varies depending on the track. The test is in a single round.

The Super-G

Another speed test of the Alpine Skiing World Cup : the World Cup Super-G. This discipline is much more technical than the descent since the altitude difference is less significant and the doors are closer together. Female skiers compete on a track of 400 to 600 meters in altitude and skiers on an altitude difference between 400 and 650 meters. You have to go through 28 doors in a single round.

The giant slalom

However, the fastest event in alpine skiing is still Women's and men's giant slalom : it's a curved track with more doors to go through. It takes place over 2 rounds, with tracks between 250 and 400 meters in altitude. Competitors must pass between 30 and 65 doors, and it is the cumulative time over the two rounds that determines the winner.

The slalom

The Special slalom is for its part a very technical discipline. It differs from giant slalom with closer pegs and more frequent turns. It is a test of the Alpine Skiing World Cup impressive to look at, because skiers can hit the pegs from the front at any time. The track is between 140 and 220 meters in altitude, with 75 pegs per track and contested in 2 rounds.

The alpine combined

Impossible to talk about the Alpine Skiing World Cup not to mention the Alpine combined : it consists of a downhill or Super-G round, and a Slalom round. Competitive skiers must therefore be very versatile since they must master technique and speed.

The parallel

Finally, Parallèle is a new mixed discipline during which skiers compete in pairs. They go down two parallel and identical tracks, with an altitude difference between 80 and 100 meters. Nearly 30 doors have to be crossed per route. The duel is fought in two rounds.

KANDAHAR in Chamonix in 2023

Kandahar is therefore an iconic race that takes place on “La Verte”, a famous track in Domaine des Houches near Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. This race, scheduled by the International Ski Federation (FIS), is now part of the Alpine Skiing World Cup. The next Kandahar events will take place on February 3 and 4, 2023.

This mythical race is one of the biggest events of Chamonix valley and contributes to the reputation of the station. It is a reference race: the Verte des Houches track is also the only approved downhill track in the Haute-Savoie department.” Men's World Cup ”. But it is only green in name: it is simply lined with fir trees, but it is indeed a black track with 870 m of altitude difference and 3 343 meters in length.

The most competent skiers in the world descend it in 2 minutes, after overcoming very technical passages and jumps (the Break and the Gully). It is one of the most beautiful descents in the world, and you can admire the best skiers during Kandahar in the 2023 - 2022 season! Then, the big crystal globe is a prize awarded to the winner of the overall World Cup ranking, across all events contested.

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