This was published 12 years ago
Sochi Winter Sports: Alpine Skiing
Fast facts:
Alpine skiing events weren't held until the fourth edition of the Winter Games, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936, when only men’s and women’s combined events were contested.
Fast facts:
There will be ten Alpine skiing events contested in Sochi, with men and women both competing in downhill, super combined, super-G, giant slalom and slalom.
Olympic legend:
France’s Jean-Claude Killy etched his name into Olympic history in 1968, sweeping all three Alpine skiing events by winning gold medals in downhill, slalom and giant slalom.
Venue:
The Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort, approximately 80km outside Sochi, features tracks designed by former Olympic champion Bernard Russi, with the men’s downhill course stretching to almost 3,500m and featuring a vertical drop of 1,075m.
One to watch:
Slovenia's Tina Maze will be aiming to follow up her impressive 2013 World Cup season – when she won the overall, super-G, giant slalom and combined titles – by claiming her first Olympic gold medal in Sochi.
One to watch:
In the men's downhill, Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal will be looking to improve on the silver medal he won at Vancouver 2010, following his 2013 downhill World Cup title victory.
