Speed skiing

'''Speed skiing''' is the sport of skiing downhill in a straight line at as high a speed as possible, as timed over a fixed stretch of ski slope. There are two types of contest: breaking an existing speed record or having the fastest run at a given competition. Speed skiers regularly exceed {{convert|200|km/h|mph|0}}

==History== Speed skiing dates from 1898 with a run by American Tommy Todd, reported at {{convert|87|mph}}. Official records began with an {{convert|89|mph|abbr=on}} run by Leo Gasperl in 1932. While training for the 1956 Winter Olympics, American downhiller Ralph Miller is credited with being the first to break {{convert|100|mph|0|abbr=on}}, at nearly {{convert|109|mph|abbr=on}} in August 1955 at Portillo, Chile, a record which held up for fifteen years.<ref name=arupwn>{{cite magazine |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1955/09/05/a-roundup-of-the-weeks-news |magazine=Sports Illustrated |title=A roundup of the week's news: record breakers |date=September 5, 1955 |page=4}}</ref><ref name=hfcigo>{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mFgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA11 |magazine=Skiing Heritage|title=How fast can I go? |last=Miller |first=Peter |date=September 1999 |page=11}}</ref><ref name=skhrj>{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KK6VKM0njdwC&pg=PA12 |magazine=Skiing Heritage|title=Ralph Miller: from wax room to classroom |last=Masia |first=Seth |date=June 2009 |page=12}}</ref>

In 1978, also at Portillo, American Steve McKinney's run of {{convert|200.2|km/h|1|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20072676,00.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090924033608/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20072676,00.html| archive-date = 2009-09-24| title = Speed Champion Steve Mc Kinney's 120-Mph Runs Make Downhill Racers Seem Snowbound : People.com}} </ref> made him the first to break the {{convert|200|km/h|1|abbr=on}} barrier.<ref name=hfcigo/><ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1120487/index.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102021810/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1120487/index.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 2, 2012 | work=CNN | title=Video | date=February 7, 1983}}</ref> It was a demonstration sport at the Albertville 1992 Winter Olympics on the Les Arcs speed skiing course, but was deemed too dangerous after several recorded deaths.<ref name = Curveball/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/f4c4251e-0816-11e8-9e12-af73e8db3c71 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/f4c4251e-0816-11e8-9e12-af73e8db3c71 |archive-date=2022-12-10 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Speed skiing: too fast for the Olympics|last=Usborne|first=Simon|date=2018-02-09|website=Financial Times|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-10-29}}</ref>

==Description== Speed skiing is practiced on steep, specially designed courses {{convert|1|km|sp=us|spell=in}} in length. There are approximately thirty of these courses worldwide, many of them at high altitudes to minimize air resistance. The first {{convert|300|or|400|m|abbr=on}} of the course (the launching area) is used to gain speed, the top speed is measured in the next {{convert|100|m|abbr=on}} (the timing zone) and the last {{convert|500|m|abbr=on}} (the run-out area) is used for slowing down and coming to a stop. The start point in FIS races is chosen so that, in theory, skiers should not exceed {{convert|200|km/h|mph|0}}, hence competition is aimed at winning a particular event, not breaking world speed records. At pro races, there is no maximum speed and the speed attained is determined by conditions and safety.<ref name = Curveball/>

In theory, speeds could continue to increase by using even longer and steeper slopes; this would eventually change speed skiing into something closer to skydiving except with skis rather than a parachute. Since a slight bump or gentle turn can easily prove fatal at such speeds, there is little appetite for this.<ref>{{cite book |last=Munroe |first=Randall |date=2019 |title=how to: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems |location=New York |publisher=Penguin |page=150 |isbn=9780525537090 |author-link=Randall Munroe}}</ref>

==Equipment== Speed skiers wear dense foam fairings on their lower legs and aerodynamic helmets to increase streamlining. Their ski suits are made from air-tight latex or have a polyurethane coating to reduce wind resistance, with only a minimal (but mandatory) back protector to give some protection in the case of a crash.<ref name = Curveball> {{cite book | last = Lipsyte | first = Robert | editor-last = Vizard | editor-first = Frank | title = Why a Curveball Curves: The Incredible Science of Sports | publisher = Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. | series = Popular mechanics | date = 2009 | location = | pages = 224 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-q9M4pe3kmUC&q=FIS+speed+skiing&pg=PA173 | isbn = 9781588167941 }}</ref>

The special skis used must be {{height|cm=240}} in length and at most {{convert|10|cm|in|abbr=on}} wide, with a maximum weight of {{convert|15|kg|abbr=on}} for the pair. Ski boots are attached to the skis by bindings. The ski poles are bent to shape around the body, with a minimum length of {{convert|1|m|in|1|abbr=off|sp=us}}.<ref name = Curveball/>

==Official world records== The following records were set under FSV (France Ski de Vitesse) rules at Vars, France: *''Men'' – Simon Billy (France) {{convert|255.500|km/h|abbr=on}} on March 22, 2023.<ref> {{cite news | author = | title = Ski de vitesse : à 255,5 km/h, le Français Simon Billy bat le record du monde | language = fr | url = https://www.lemonde.fr/sport/article/2023/03/22/ski-a-255-5-km-h-le-francais-simon-billy-bat-le-record-de-vitesse_6166573_3242.html | work = Le Monde | location = Paris | date = March 22, 2023 | access-date = 2023-03-24}}</ref> *''Women'' – Valentina Greggio (Italy) 247.083 km/h (153.530 mph) on 26 March 2016.

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Speed Skiing}} Category:Speed skiing Category:Former Winter Olympic sports Category:1898 introductions