how fast do olympic skiers go

Olympic downhill skiers regularly hit around 75–95 mph (120–150 km/h) at top speed, with typical race averages closer to 60–70 mph (95–110 km/h). In the absolute top sections of the fastest Olympic courses, some racers push into the low‑90s mph range.

Quick Scoop

Typical Olympic speeds

• Top speed in downhill: usually 75–95 mph (120–150 km/h) on the steepest, straightest sections.

• Average speed over the whole course: often in the low‑ to mid‑60s mph (about 100 km/h). One of the fastest Olympic downhills ever averaged about 68 mph.

• Other Olympic ski events:
  • Cross‑country skiers: roughly 15 mph on flats, up to about 30 mph on downhills.

* Freestyle skiing (moguls, aerials, etc.): around 35–40 mph in approach sections.

* Ski jumping: about 50–60 mph going down the inrun before takeoff.

How that compares to normal skiing

• Recreational skiers: most cruise around 10–20 mph.

• Strong advanced skiers: often 20–40 mph, occasionally higher on steeper, straight runs.

• Olympic downhill racers: routinely double or even quadruple a typical tourist’s pace, with runs designed for maximum speed and protected with serious safety measures.

Forum and “real‑world” chatter

Public ski forums and Reddit threads are full of people posting phone or watch “top speeds” in the 50–70 mph range, but experienced posters often point out that many of those numbers are inflated by GPS glitches or short bursts on very steep pitches. Commenters frequently note that speeds claiming to rival Olympic downhill runs are unrealistic for most resort skiers, especially on crowded, non‑closed slopes.

Recent / latest‑news flavor

With the 2026 Winter Games in the spotlight, broadcasters and articles have been emphasizing just how extreme these speeds are, highlighting that modern Olympic downhill courses still live in that 75–95 mph top‑end zone even as equipment and safety gear improve. Features and explainer pieces in late 2025 and early 2026 keep returning to the same core idea: Olympic skiers are essentially “driving a small car without a seat belt, on ice, with no brakes,” only using their edges and body position to stay upright at highway speeds.

Simple takeaway

If you’re wondering “how fast do Olympic skiers go,” the easy answer is:

• Around 80 mph on average at their fastest moments, sometimes pushing into the 90s, on purpose‑built courses that are far faster than anything most skiers will ever experience.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.