Downhill Alpine Skiing
Downhill skiing is a sport enjoyed by millions of skiers across the globe. Downhill skiing or alpine skiing as it is sometimes referred to was pioneered as a sport in the early 1900’s by the British born Sir Arnold Lunn. He traveled to Switzerland and used the existing railway lines around Interlaken as upward access to the mountains, thus negating the need for cross country or telemark skis to ascend the slopes.
The equipment used for downhill skiing has progressed enormously from these early days when skis were made purely of wood, ski boots were leather and held to the skis with cables. One of the biggest changes came with metal edges, which allowed the skier to grip on harder snow. The advent of plastic ski boots further enhanced the control a skier had, giving a quicker response and more stability when downhill skiing in any snow conditions. Today skis consist of many different materials including carbon, resin and wood. The most popular ski development in recent times is the ‘carving ski’, which has a wider tip and tail and is narrow in the middle. This allows the skier to turn with a smaller radius and with less effort than a traditional ‘straight ski’. Some would claim it has revolutionised the sport of downhill skiing for recreational skiers and racers alike.
People learn downhill skiing at all stages in life. Although fairly demanding physically it is possible to learn downhill skiing with a moderate fitness level. There is a typical progression that is taught by all ski schools and ski instructors around the world and the emphasis is always on safety, enjoyment and learning. Once beginners master the art of stopping and changing direction they can progress quickly to longer and more challenging downhill skiing slopes. In Europe, the most popular place to go downhill skiing is in the alpine regions. Especially popular are the winter ski resorts in France and Switzerland. Here you will find a variety of downhill skiing terrain to suit all levels and abilities. Also in these resorts you will find the top ski schools and ski instructors that can teach, guide and instruct skiers of any ability.
Downhill skiing is the number one winter sport in mountain areas. The pinnacle of the sport being the World Cup and Olympic downhill skiing events. Downhill ski racers compete against each other in timed descents of a marked course typically lasting up to 2 minutes for the men and a little less for the women. Downhill ski racers reach speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour that places enormous physical pressure on their bodies. The downhill ski racer will try and stay in a low position as much as possible. This is often referred to as a ‘tuck’ position and is used to increase speed, as it is an effective aerodynamic shape.
Learning to downhill ski from scratch is fun and easy. Today there are enormous amounts of ski schools and ski instructors available to guide you through the basics and beyond. Standards of downhill ski teaching are higher than they have ever been and to be fully qualified as a professional ski teacher takes many years of hard work, qualifications and experience.
Read more below
