ABOUT ALPINE SKIING
Alpine Skiing at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 will challenge competitors to race downhill on a variety of terrain, testing their speed, balance, and precision. This fast-paced, thrilling event highlights the adaptability and skill of wounded, injured, and sick service members and Veterans as they navigate challenging slopes. The Novice Competition will take place on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, and Intermediate-Advanced on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at the stunning Whistler Alpine Venue, this event will showcase competitors’ resilience as they face the dynamic and demanding terrain of Whistler Mountain.
With the breathtaking backdrop of one of North America’s premier ski resorts, competitors will demonstrate their control and determination in a sport that requires both physical strength and mental focus. It promises to be a spectacular display of grit and recovery, as participants tackle the slopes in this iconic winter setting.
WHAT ARE THE RULES?
There are two individual events:
- Novice (approximately 190-meter course with 10-15 directional changes).
- Intermediate/Advanced (approximately 260-meter course with 10-20 directional changes).
Competitors will race the glalom style course (this is a cross between slalom and giant slalom).
Results are based on the fastest factored time which allows for various impairments to compete on an even playing field.
Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding will take place on the same day on the same courses! The only differentiation is the equipment used. Medals will be awarded separately for Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding events.
HOW ARE COMPETITORS CATEGORISED?
The categorization process aims to ensure the best possible competitor experience at the Invictus Games. The Invictus Games is a unique competition which enables all participants to compete fairly across all sports, no matter their impairment type.
Each sport has a different categorization system as the different injuries, illness and impairments affect competitors in different ways in each sport. Each competitor is allocated a category (e.g. IT1, IJ4) for each sport that they compete in. The categorization system relies on integrity and honesty, and a collaborative relationship between all competitors, and all team staff.
New for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 is that within the new winter Snowsports of Nordic (Cross-Country & Biathlon) and Alpine (Skiing & Snowboarding) time factors will be applied. Time factoring is where a competitor’s raw time (i.e. the time it takes to go from the start to finish line) has a percentage applied to it. The percentage corresponds to the sub-category the competitor’s impairment is categorized as. This is to increase the number of competitive events within the new winter sports whilst still providing a fair playing field. And so, someone may appear to cross the finish line first but not appear first in the official results once the time factor is applied.
HOW DID THE SPORT COME TO BE?
- The first Para-Alpine Skiing Championships occurred in 1948.
- Para-Alpine Skiing featured in the first Paralympic Winter Games in Sweden in 1976.
- This featured two of the now seven Para-Alpine events. Today, five Para-Alpine events are featured at the Paralympic Games.
WHAT SPORT EQUIPMENT IS USED?
- Skis & Poles / Snowboards.
- Sit-Skis (various types based on impairment).
- Outriggers. Tethers.
- Helmet.
HOW MANY TEAMS ARE THERE?
For the team event, there are three competitors per team. The team does not ski again, the fastest factored times from each Nation will automatically make up the team results.
HOW MANY COMPETITORS ON THE COURSE AT ONE TIME?
For the Novice events, there is one course and so competitors compete one at a time using clear course starts. For the Intermediate/Advanced events, there are two courses set up parallel to each other. This means that two competitors will compete at the same time (their results are still time-factored, they do not compete against each other, but just complete the course at the same time).
HOW LONG IS THE COURSE?
- The Novice course is 190m – equivalent to the length of 42 average sized cars.
- The Intermediate course is 260m – equivalent to the length of two and a half FIFA soccer pitches!
INTERESTING FACTS
- The word ‘ski’ comes from the Old Nordic word skíð which means stick of wood – the material skis were first made from.
- Competitors with visual impairments may use the support of a guide to complete the course.
- Para-Alpine skiing demands extreme agility, strength, and speed, with racers in the Paralympic Games exceeding speeds of 100km/hour.
- The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 has created a category for visually impaired snowboarders.
