Downhill (ski competition)
Downhill is a form of alpine skiing competition. Whereas the other alpine skiing events emphasize turning and technique, downhill emphasizes "the six components of technique, courage, speed, risk, physical condition and judgement", according to the FIS "International Ski Competition Rules ". Speeds of up to are common in international competition. Athletes must have an aerodynamically efficient tuck position to minimize drag and increase speed.
The term, "downhill skiing", is also used as a synonym for alpine skiing as a recreational activity.
History
The rules for downhill skiing competitions were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships. A speed of was first achieved by Johan Clarey at the 2013 Lauberhorn World Cup, beating the previous record of, set by Italian Stefan Thanei in 2005.Course
The FIS has rules for downhill courses that encompass their general characteristics, width, safety precautions, vertical drop, course length, style and placement of gates.- General characteristics – As a test of "technique, courage, speed, risk, physical condition and judgement", the course requires the athlete to adapt to the technically demanding terrain and layout of gates.
- Width – Courses are typically wide with allowances for the approaches to "lips, drop-offs and jumps".
- Safety – Obstacles on courses are expected to be protected with nets, fences, or pads.
- Vertical drop – Vertical drop ranges from for men and for women. Races with two runs may be shorter.
- Course length – Courses require an accurate means of measurement for length.
- Gates – Gates consist of pairs of twin poles with a rectangular panel between the poles. Gates have an or larger opening.
Equipment
In an attempt to increase safety, the 2003–2004 season saw the FIS increase the minimum sidecut radius for downhill skis to from, and impose minimum ski lengths for the first time: for men, and for women.
Races
In all forms of downhill, both at a local youth-level as well as the higher FIS international level, racers are allowed extensive preparation for the race, which includes daily course inspection and discussion with their coaches and teammates as well as several practice runs before the actual race. Racers do not make any unnecessary turns while on the course, and try to do everything they can to maintain the most aerodynamic position while negotiating turns and jumps.Unlike slalom and giant slalom, where racers have the times of two runs combined, the downhill race is a single run. Times are typically between 1½ and 2½ minutes for World Cup courses and must be over 1 minute in duration to meet international minimum standards. Tenths and hundredths and, occasionally, thousandths of seconds count: World Cup races and Olympic medals have sometimes been decided by as little as one or two hundredths of a second, and ties are not unheard of.
The most successful all-time winners of World Cup downhill races are Annemarie Moser-Pröll of Austria and Franz Klammer of Austria. Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. is currently dominant in woman's downhill racing with a lifetime total of 37 World Cup downhill wins and 7 women's titles.
Risks
On some courses, such as the Lauberhorn course in Wengen, Switzerland, and the Hahnenkamm course in Kitzbühel, Austria, speeds of up to are common. Safety netting and padding are placed where race officials anticipate potential crashes. Despite these safety precautions, the ski racing community is well aware of the inherent risks of downhill skiing, for it is possible for racers to suffer serious injury or death while practising or competing. Three deaths among World Cup racers in recent years in downhill training or during a race were those of Austrians Gernot Reinstadler and Ulrike Maier, and France's Régine Cavagnoud. Also in 2001, Swiss downhiller Silvano Beltrametti was paralyzed in a high-speed crash and 1984 Olympic gold medalist Bill Johnson suffered permanent brain damage that eventually led to a crippling stroke which left him unable to function without assistance. Most recently Frenchman David Poisson was killed in a training crash in 2017. Speaking to media after Poisson's death, French former downhiller Luc Alphand noted that "eliminating risk entirely in downhill is impossible".Men's World Cup podiums
In the following table men's downhill World Cup podium results in the World Cup since the first season in 1967. Winners receive a distinctive crystal globe.| Season | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| 1967 |  Jean-Claude Killy | Guy Périllat |  Franz Vogler |
| 1968 |  Gerhard Nenning | Jean-Claude Killy | Karl Schranz |
| 1969 | Karl Schranz | Henri Duvillard | Heinrich Messner |
| 1970 | Karl Cordin | Karl Schranz | Henri Duvillard |
| 1971 |  Bernhard Russi | Bernard Orcel | Karl Cordin |
| 1972 | Bernhard Russi | Karl Schranz |  Mike Lafferty |
| 1973 | Roland Collombin | Bernhard Russi |  Marcello Varallo |
| 1974 | Roland Collombin | Franz Klammer | Herbert Plank |
| 1975 | Franz Klammer | Werner Grissmann | Herbert Plank |
| 1976 | Franz Klammer | Herbert Plank | Bernhard Russi |
| 1977 | Franz Klammer | Josef Walcher | Bernhard Russi |
| 1978 | Franz Klammer | Josef Walcher | Herbert Plank |
| 1979 | Peter Mueller | Peter Wirnsberger | Toni Buergler |
| 1980 | Peter Mueller |  Ken Read | Herbert Plank |
| 1981 | Harti Weirather | Steve Podborski | Peter Mueller |
| 1982 | Peter Mueller | Steve Podborski | Harti Weirather |
| 1983 | Franz Klammer | Conradin Cathomen | Harti Weirather |
| 1984 | Urs Raeber | Erwin Resch | Bill Johnson |
| 1985 | Helmut Hoeflehner | Peter Mueller | Karl Alpiger |
| 1986 | Peter Wirnsberger | Peter Mueller | Michael Mair |
| 1987 | Pirmin Zurbriggen | Peter Mueller | Franz Heinzer |
| 1988 | Pirmin Zurbriggen | Michael Mair | Rob Boyd |
| 1989 |  Marc Girardelli | Helmut Hoeflehner | Daniel Mahrer |
| 1990 | Helmut Hoeflehner |  Atle Skardal | Pirmin Zurbriggen |
| 1991 | Franz Heinzer | Atle Skardal | Daniel Mahrer |
| 1992 | Franz Heinzer | Daniel Mahrer | A.J. Kitt |
| 1993 | Franz Heinzer | Atle Skardal | William Besse |
| 1994 | Marc Girardelli | Hannes Trinkl | Patrick Ortlieb |
| 1995 | Luc Alphand | Kristian Ghedina | Patrick Ortlieb |
| 1996 | Luc Alphand | Guenther Mader | Patrick Ortlieb |
| 1997 | Luc Alphand | Kristian Ghedina | Fritz Strobl |
| 1998 | Andreas Schifferer | Hermann Maier | Nicolas Burtin |
| 1999 | Lasse Kjus | Andreas Schifferer | Werner Franz |
| 2000 | Hermann Maier | Kristian Ghedina | Josef Strobl |
| 2001 | Hermann Maier | Stephan Eberharter | Fritz Strobl |
| 2002 | Stephan Eberharter | Fritz Strobl | Kristian Ghedina |
| 2003 | Stephan Eberharter | Daron Rahlves | Michael Walchhofer |
| 2004 | Stephan Eberharter | Daron Rahlves | Hermann Maier |
| 2005 | Michael Walchhofer | Bode Miller | Hermann Maier |
| 2006 | Michael Walchhofer | Fritz Strobl | Daron Rahlves |
| 2007 | Didier Cuche |  Marco Buechel | Erik Guay |
| 2008 | Didier Cuche | Bode Miller | Michael Walchhofer |
| 2009 | Michael Walchhofer | Klaus Kroell | Didier Defago |
| 2010 | Didier Cuche | Carlo Janka | Werner Heel |
| 2011 | Didier Cuche | Michael Walchhofer | Klaus Kroell |
| 2012 | Klaus Kroell | Beat Feuz | Didier Cuche |
| 2013 | Aksel Lund Svindal | Klaus Kroell | Dominik Paris |
| 2014 | Aksel Lund Svindal | Hannes Reichelt | Erik Guay |
| 2015 | Kjetil Jansrud | Hannes Reichelt | Guillermo Fayed |
| 2016 | Peter Fill | Aksel Lund Svindal | Dominik Paris |
| 2017 | Peter Fill | Kjetil Jansrud | Dominik Paris |