Slalom skiing has one simple goal: ski down a course of tightly spaced gates in the correct order, as fast as possible, without breaking any rules or missing gates.

What counts as a legal run?

  • You must pass between every gateā€™s pair of poles with both ski tips and both feet inside the gate line.
  • Gates are made from alternating red and blue poles that define the path down the course.
  • Missing a gate, skiing around the wrong side, or straddling a gate (one ski each side of a pole) results in disqualification in most race formats, not just a time penalty.
  • In modern higherā€‘level races, you are generally not allowed to hike back up the hill to reā€‘pass a missed gate; doing so leads to a DQ.

Course layout rules

  • A slalom course is laid out with many short, quick turns; for elite events, menā€™s courses usually have around 55ā€“75 gates and womenā€™s 40ā€“60.
  • The vertical drop (top to bottom height difference) is about 180ā€“220 m for men and 140ā€“180 m for women in standard slalom.
  • Each gate is 4ā€“6 m wide, which forces very tight, rapid turns compared with other alpine disciplines.
  • Gates can be set as:
    • Open gates (single direction change).
    • Closed combinations like hairpins, flushes, and delay gates that change rhythm and line.

Timing and runs

  • Racers normally take two runs on different courses set on the same slope.
  • After the first run, only the fastest skiers qualify for the second run (a cut is made based on time).
  • Final ranking is based on the combined time of both runs; the lowest total time wins.

Equipment and safety basics

  • Slalom skis are shorter and more agile than typical skis, making quick, short-radius turns easier.
  • Racers use poles for balance, timing, and sometimes to help clear gates.
  • Because skiers often hit or ā€œblockā€ the flexible poles to take a straighter line, they wear safety gear such as shin guards, pole guards, a helmet, and sometimes face/chin protection.

Technique-related ā€œrules of thumbā€

These are not rulebook laws but common technical guidelines that coaches teach:

  • Stay in an athletic stance with your core moving down the ā€œcorridorā€ between the gates to maintain rhythm and pressure on the outside ski.
  • Start moving forward into the next turn early so your upper body stays committed down the fall line rather than lagging behind the skis.
  • Clear gates with the hand or arm that naturally lines up from your strong outside-ski position; many racers use the outside hand when their body is well inside the corridor.
  • A common coaching cue, the ā€œZipper Rule,ā€ warns against crossing your hands in front of your body, which can twist you off your outside ski and ruin edge grip.

Penalties and disqualification

  • Typical reasons for DQ in slalom:
    • Missing or incorrectly passing a gate.
    • Straddling a gate.
    • Leaving the course and failing to reā€‘enter correctly where you went out.
  • In organized competitions, ignoring starter instructions, false starts, or interfering with another racer can also lead to disqualification.

Quick recap

  • Objective: Ski through all gates in order, as fast as possible, without missing or straddling any.
  • Course: Tight red/blue gates, 4ā€“6 m apart horizontally, with specific verticalā€‘drop and gateā€‘count rules by gender.
  • Runs: Usually two; total combined time decides the winner.
  • Technique: Short, fast turns, strong outside ski, body moving down the corridor, and controlled gate contact with proper protection.

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