Downhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships. "Downhill skiing" is a commonly used term that is synonymous with "alpine skiing" to denote the sport and recreational activity of alpine skiing.
The Downhill discipline involves the highest speeds and therefore the greatest risks of all the alpine events. Racers on a typical international-level course exceed speeds of 130 km/h (81 mph) and some courses, such as the notable Lauberhorn course in Wengen, Switzerland, and the Hahnenkamm course in Kitzbühel, Austria, speeds of up to 150 km/h (93 mph) in certain sections are common. Competing in the Downhill event requires skiers to perfect an aerodynamically efficient (tuck) position to minimize drag and increase speed. This contrasts to the technical expertise required in lower speed slalom events (Super G, Giant Slalom & Slalom) where turns are progressively more emphasized.
Famous quotes containing the word downhill:
“To get through their days, nervous natures such as mine have various “speeds” as do automobiles. There are uphill and difficult day which take an eternity to climb, and downhill days which can be quickly descended.”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)