Alpine skiing guide

Fritz Strobl winning the Olympic downhill

Within alpine skiing there are five events - downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super-G and combined.

Men and women compete in both and although the rules are the same, the courses differ.

Downhill has the longest course and features the highest speeds, clocking more than 90mph.

Competitors have a single run - the fastest down the course wins.

Slalom has the shortest course and the quickest turns.

Skiers must pass through alternate red and blue gates, which have been set along the course at intervals of between 0.75-15m.

Each skier has two runs down two different courses on the same slope on the same day.

Times are added together and the fastest total time decides the winner.

The giant slalom is similar to the slalom but with fewer - and wider and smoother - turns. Again there are two runs on two courses on the same day.

Super-G (super giant slalom) combines the downhill speed with the giant slalom turns.

The course is shorter than downhill but longer than giant slalom.

The combined event consists of one downhill followed by two slalom runs.

The combined courses are shorter than the regular versions.