Wintersports
Alpine Snowboarding
What is snowboard alpine racing: A guide to the thrilling sport
Learn all about snowboard alpine racing: the different types of competition, techniques for getting started in the sport, and the top competitions.
“Any athlete who gets to the top of his or her sport is exceptional, but [admiring them] is the wrong word. I’d rather be able to emulate these athletes’ motivation,” says snowboarder, alpine racer, and five-time world champion Benjamin Karl.
That’s the sort of driven mindset one has to have to compete in snowboard alpine racing. It’s a sport where athletes have to be fast, agile, strong, and mentally tough to put in the thousands of practice reps it takes to compete at the global stage.
Benjamin Karl rides at Arlberg, Austria on November 25, 2021
© Stefan Voitl / Red Bull Content Pool
Since its debut on the world stage in 1998, snowboard alpine racing has grown steadily. Today, the sport– sometimes called downhill snowboarding– has competitions in America, Oceania, Asia, and Europe. While it may not be as rugged or daring as backcountry snowboarding, it’s one of the most popular types of competitive snowboarding, and as you can see in the Red Bull Ultra Natural Series, it offers competitors some stunning views.
In this article, you will learn all about snowboard alpine racing: the different types of competition, techniques for getting started in the sport, and the top competitions.
01
Types of Snowboard Alpine Racing
There are five main types of alpine snowboard racing. The main objective in all is to go downhill as fast as possible, ranging from 55 mph to 70 mph, moving through gates. The gates are markers, poles with flags attached, that identify the course during competition.
Each type of racing requires a different skill and strength.
Slalom
In Slalom, athletes race down a course marked by gates spaced very close together. Weaving in and out, the athlete must go around each of these gates as fast as possible. This type of alpine racing requires quick turns and agility.
Roland Fischnaller trains in Val Senales, Italy on October 12, 2017
© Damiano Levati / Red Bull Content Pool
Giant Slalom
In Giant Slalom (GS), athletes race down a course marked by gates spaced farther apart than in Slalom. Maintaining control at high speeds is more important than agility since there are larger gaps between gates. Athletes must control their downhill speed and come around the gates at an angle without losing momentum, which requires lots of power, strength, and technique.
Super-G
Super-G alpine racing is a faster version of GS. The gates are set at greater distances and the turns require a higher speed and more power. Of all the events, Super-G is the one where speed trumps any other skill.
Parallel Slalom
Parallel slalom (PSL) involves two athletes racing side-by-side down a course marked by gates (set 10 to 15 meters apart) to see who crosses the finish line first. It looks the most similar to Slalom racing. Athletes cannot come in contact and must maneuver around one another. Along with speed and agility, strategy plays a big role, which is why athletes are given several test runs on the course before a competition. (This can be true in solo events, too.)
Parallel Giant Slalom
PGS is similar to PSL but with gates spaced farther apart, requiring more speed and less agility. With another racer riding alongside, it can make for thrilling entertainment, which is probably why PGS is one of the popular events televised on the world's big stage.
2015 FIS Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships in Austria
© Daniel Deak Bardos / Starelation / Red Bull Content Pool
02
The Racecourse and Equipment
A snowboard alpine racecourse can be characterized by steep and narrow slopes on groomed snow. Depending on the type of alpine race it is, the setup will vary, but it is generally one and a half to three miles long with a vertical descent of up to 1,000 meters.
Alpine snowboarding gates
All of the gates in alpine snowboarding are set at specific intervals and angles that require quick and precise movements. Slalom racing gates are set closer together than giant slalom, for example. (The minimum distance standard between gates is 13 feet, and one race has between 55 and 75 gates.)
Terrain and weather conditions can affect the course, which can be a major factor depending on its location—especially in high-altitude areas with lots of snow, like western American states and parts of Europe.
Standard course features may include:
- Moguls- which are simply mounds of snow
- Banked turns- quick turns
Alpine snowboarding equipment
The equipment used in snowboard alpine racing is also slightly different than what one might use to ride recreationally. Alpine snowboards are typically longer and stiffer than regular snowboards, which provides stability and control at high speeds. Racers also wear specialized boots and bindings that are designed to transfer power efficiently to the board and typically apply wax to their boards.
Other necessary equipment includes a helmet, goggles, and protective padding, which is usually worn on the back and torso. Of course, racers prefer to wear the lightest padding possible, as it can provide an advantage for picking up speed downhill.
Benjamin Karl at the 2018 FIS Snowboard World Cup in Bansko, Bulgaria
© Liubomir Asenov / Red Bull Content Pool
03
Rules and Regulations
Even a fraction of a second could make the difference between first and second place, so there are strict rules and regulations in alpine snowboard racing at the highest levels.
Common rules and regulations include:
- False Start: When an athlete goes before the starting whistle or gun sounds. During the competition, the start referee calls if this is an infraction and can lead to a restart or disqualification.
- Missing Gates: A missed gate results in a disqualification (elimination) of the athlete’s score.
- Straddling a Gate: When the board passes on the wrong side of the gate. Straddling a gate is also a disqualification at national/international competitions.
- Obstruction: Opponents aren’t allowed to intentionally block competitors and can be disqualified if they do in PS and PGS events.
In regional competitions, these standards can vary slightly, but at the national, international, and world stage levels, the criteria for penalties and violations are uniform.
04
Technique and Strategies
The main technique alpine snowboarders use to maintain speed and control is carving.
Carving involves using the edges of the snowboard to dig into the snow, creating a curved turn that generates speed and allows the athlete to maintain control.
By shifting their weight and applying pressure to the edges, the snowboarder can create a smooth and controlled turn that helps them navigate the course with speed and precision.
Benjamin Karl races during a training session in Schladming, Austria
© Christopher Kelemen / Red Bull Content Pool
Proper technique and timing are essential for effective carving, and it requires a great deal of practice and experience to master. Experts in this sport must master the art of navigating turns quickly by carving half circles and tipping their boards aggressively to the side without falling or losing control. The goal is to come as close as possible to each gate without actually hitting it, which takes lots of practice to be consistently good at.
05
Top Alpine Snowboarding Events
Since the debut of alpine racing in winter 1998 on the world stage, the sport has expanded into several major competitive outlets globally.
The main competitions for snowboard alpine racing are:
- Winter games on the world stage: Held every four years, this event features the world's top snowboarders competing in multiple events, like Slalom and Giant Slalom.
- X Games: The annual extreme sports competition where various snowboard alpine races, along with halfpipe and other snowboarding events, take place.
- FIS Snowboard World Cup: Held at various locations throughout the Swiss Alps, this annual competition features races in various disciplines, including slalom, giant slalom, and snowboard cross. It is considered the highest level of competition for international snowboard alpine racing.
06
Top Alpine Snowboard Competitors
Some of the most well-known names in the sport include:
Benjamin Karl at the 2015 FIS Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships
© Daniel Deak Bardos / Starelation / Red Bull Content Pool
- Ester Ledecka, the Czech two-time Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion in snowboarding.
- Benjamin Karl, the Austrian Red Bull Athlete has won numerous titles throughout his illustrious 15-year career.
- Daniela Ulbing, the Austrian who in 2017 won a gold medal in Parallel slalom in Sierra Nevada, Spain.
Conclusion
Alpine snowboarding is a fast-paced, thrilling sport to watch when the cold weather months roll in. It requires speed, agility, intelligence, strength, and power to perform well, and mental skills like grit play a big factor, too.
While it’s unlikely that one of the world’s 7 hardest winter races will be held on one of these groomed slope courses anytime soon, alpine racing is a good sport to follow if you like to watch action athletes pursue peak performance and achieve records many believed were impossible.
