31 Alpine skiing disciplines are divided into technical disciplines (Slalom and Giant Slalom) and speed disciplines (Downhill and Super-G). In women s competitions, courses drops range from 450 to 800 metres. In both slalom and giant slalom, the first thirty skiers from the first run start in the reverse order of the ranking to compete in the second run. When was the first parallel competition held? course: pista drop: dislivello gate: porta run: manche 60 TO GO ALPINE SKI RACING The International Ski Federation The International Ski Federation (FIS, F d ration Internationale de Ski) is the governing body for international skiing and snowboarding. It was founded in 1924 during the first Olympic Games and, at present, it counts 133 member nations. The FIS manages the Olympic disciplines of alpine skiing, Nordic disciplines, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding and sets the international competition rules for them. Alpine skiing disciplines Alpine skiing includes six disciplines. In all of them, the courses are usually marked by blue or red paint directly spread on snow, and by gates, made of one single pole, or of two poles connected by a banner stretched between them. Downhill is generally considered the most impressive speed discipline as skiers ride freely down a course whose drop, for male competitions, ranges from 750 to 1,100 metres . In a downhill race, skiers can reach speeds up to 160 km/h and have to perform jumps of dozens of metres. Downhill competitions usually consist of one run only. In a slalom competition, skiers have to ride turning alternatively around gates planted in the snow at a distance between 8 and 12 metres from each other. The turns to be made are very fast and require quick changes in direction. Slalom events generally consist of two runs on the same day; the times of the two races are added together to determine the final ranking. A giant slalom course has more turns and a larger number of gates than the slalom one. Gates are placed at a distance between 22 and 30 metres from each other. Like in the slalom, events generally consist of two runs on the same day, whose times are added together. A super-G course consists of widely set gates skiers must pass through making turns. It is a fast race, as the speeds that skiers reach are much higher than in the giant slalom. Like downhill, Super-G is a single-run event. An alpine combined event includes a downhill or super-G race followed by a slalom one. The times of the two runs are added together to determine the final ranking; this discipline challenges the skier s abilities in both speed and technique. In parallel , skiers go head-to-head against each other on two identical parallel courses. Competitions are held in two runs; the ranking is determined by the sum of the time of each run. Alpine skiing competitions At the highest level, alpine skiing takes place on a World Cup circuit which rewards the best skiers over the entire season. The Alpine World Ski Championships are held every two years: skiers compete in downhill, Super-G, giant slalom, slalom, combined, and a mixed nations team event. The same five disciplines are contested in the Winter Olympic Games, which are held every four years.