Giant slalom - wikipedia Giant slalom A skier attacks a gate in GS Giant slalom ( GS ) is an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles ( gates ) spaced at a greater distance from each other than in slalom but less than in Super-G. Giant slalom and slalom make up the technical events in alpine ski racing. This category separates them from the speed events of Super-G and downhill. The technical events are normally composed of two runs, held on different courses on the same ski run. Contents 1 Course 2 Speed 3 Equipment 4 History 5 Men 's World Cup podiums 6 Men 's most podiums in World Cup 7 See also 8 References 9 External links Course The vertical drop for a GS course must be 250 -- 450 m ( 820 -- 1,480 ft ) for men, and 250 -- 400 m ( 820 -- 1,310 ft ) for women. The number of gates in this event is 56 -- 70 for men and 46 -- 58 for women. The number of direction changes in a GS course equals 11 -- 15 % of the vertical drop of the course in metres, 13 -- 18 % for children. As an example, a course with a vertical drop of 300 m ( 984 ft ) would have 33 -- 45 direction changes for an adult race. Speed Olympian Lotte Smiseth Sejersted in a GS race Although not the fastest event in skiing, on average a well - trained racer may reach average speeds of 40 km / h ( 25 mph ) in the giant slalom. Equipment Top : giant slalom skis from 2006, bottom : slalom skis. Giant slalom skis are shorter than super-G and downhill skis, and longer than slalom skis. In an attempt to increase safety for the 2003 -- 04 season, the International Ski Federation ( FIS ) increased the minimum sidecut radius for giant slalom skis to 21 m ( 69 ft ) and for the first time imposed minimum ski lengths for GS : 185 cm ( 72.8 in ) for men and 180 cm ( 70.9 in ) for women. A maximum stand height ( the distance from the snow to the sole of the boot ) of 55 mm ( 2.17 in ) was also established for all disciplines. In May 2006, the FIS announced further changes to the rules governing equipment. Beginning with the 2007 -- 08 season, the minimum radius for GS skis was increased to 27 m ( 89 ft ) for men and 23 m ( 75 ft ) for women. Additionally, the minimum ski width at the waist was increased from 60 to 65 mm ( 2.36 to 2.56 in ), and the maximum stand height for all disciplines was reduced to 50 mm ( 1.97 in ). The best skiers tended to use a bigger sidecut radius, like Ted Ligety 29 m ( 95 ft ) and Lindsey Vonn 27 m ( 89 ft ). For the 2012 -- 13 season, the FIS increased the sidecut radius to 35 m ( 115 ft ) and the minimal length to 195 cm ( 76.8 in ). Many athletes criticized this decision. Often David Dodge was cited. Dodge argues that FIS used studies which do not comprise a scientific proof. He states that it is well known that if one tips the ski 7 ° more the 35 m ski will have the same turning radius as the 28 m ski. He states as well that knee injuries are decreasing since the 1990s, when carving skis started to be used. History The first giant slalom was set in 1935 on the Mottarone in Italy, over the Lake Maggiore, near Stresa, on January 20. After one month, the second giant slalom was set on the Marmolada in Italy 's Dolomite mountains, by Guenther Langes. The giant slalom was added to the world championships in 1950 at Aspen, Colorado, and debuted at the Winter Olympics in 1952 at Oslo, Norway, run at Norefjell. The GS has been run in every world championships and Olympics since. Originally a one - run event, a second run was added for men at the world championships in 1966, run on consecutive days, and at the Olympics in 1968. The second run for women was added at the world championships in 1978, and made its Olympic debut in 1980. The world championships changed to a one - day format for the giant slalom in 1974, but the Olympics continued the GS as a two - day event through 1980. Also scheduled for two days in 1984, both giant slaloms became one - day events after repeated postponements of the downhills. Following the extra races added to the program in 1988, the GS has been scheduled as a one - day event at the Olympics. Upon its introduction, giant slalom briefly displaced the combined event at the world championships ; it was absent in 1950 and 1952. The combined returned in 1954 in Åre, Sweden, but as a `` paper race, '' using the results of the three events ( downhill, giant slalom, and slalom ), a format used through 1980. The combined returned as a stand - alone event at the world championships in 1982 at Schladming, Austria, and at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. It was changed to the super-combined format ( one run of slalom on same day as downhill ) at the world championships in 2007 and the Olympics in 2010. Men 's world Cup podiums In the following table men 's giant slalom World Cup podiums from the World Cup first edition in 1967. Season 1st 2nd 3rd 1967 Jean - Claude Killy Georges Mauduit Jimmy Heuga 1968 Jean - Claude Killy Edmund Bruggmann Herbert Huber 1969 Karl Schranz Reinhard Tritscher Jean - Noel Augert 1970 Gustav Thöni Patrick Russel Dumeng Giovanoli 1971 Gustav Thöni Patrick Russel Edmund Bruggmann 1972 Gustav Thöni Edmund Bruggmann Rogers Rossat - Mignod 1973 Hans Hinterseer Erik Haker Adolf Rösti Piero Gros Hans Hinterseer Gustav Thöni Ingemar Stenmark Piero Gros Erik Haker 1976 Ingemar Stenmark Gustav Thöni Piero Gros 1977 Ingemar Stenmark Heini Hemmi Klaus Heidegger 1978 Ingemar Stenmark Andreas Wenzel Phil Mahre 1979 Ingemar Stenmark Peter Lüscher Bojan Krizaj 1980 Ingemar Stenmark Hans Enn Jacques Lüthy 1981 Ingemar Stenmark Alexander Zhirov Phil Mahre 1982 Phil Mahre Ingemar Stenmark Marc Girardelli Phil Mahre Ingemar Stenmark Max Julen 1984 Ingemar Stenmark Pirmin Zurbriggen Hans Enn 1985 Marc Girardelli Pirmin Zurbriggen Thomas Bürgler 1986 Joel Gaspoz Ingemar Stenmark Hubert Strolz Pirmin Zurbriggen Joel Gaspoz Richard Pramotton 1988 Alberto Tomba Hubert Strolz Helmut Mayer Ole - Christian Furuseth Pirmin Zurbriggen Rudolf Nierlich Günther Mader Ole - Christian Furuseth Hubert Strolz 1991 Alberto Tomba Rudolf Nierlich Marc Girardelli Alberto Tomba Hans Pieren Paul Accola Kjetil - Andre Aamodt Alberto Tomba Marc Girardelli Christian Mayer Kjetil - Andre Aamodt Franck Piccard 1995 Alberto Tomba Jure Kosir Harald Strand Nilsen Michael von Grünigen Urs Kälin Lasse Kjus Michael von Grünigen Kjetil - Andre Aamodt Hans Knauß 1998 Hermann Maier Michael von Grünigen Christian Mayer 1999 Michael von Grünigen Stephan Eberharter Hermann Maier 2000 Hermann Maier Christian Mayer Michael von Grünigen Hermann Maier Michael von Grünigen Erik Schlopy 2002 Frederic Covili Benjamin Raich Stephan Eberharter 2003 Michael von Grünigen Bode Miller Hans Knauß Bode Miller Kalle Palander Massimiliano Blardone 2005 Benjamin Raich Bode Miller Thomas Grandi 2006 Benjamin Raich Massimiliano Blardone Fredrik Nyberg 2007 Aksel Lund Svindal Massimiliano Blardone Benjamin Raich 2008 Ted Ligety Benjamin Raich Manfred Mölgg 2009 Didier Cuche Benjamin Raich Ted Ligety Ted Ligety Carlo Janka Benjamin Raich 2011 Ted Ligety Aksel Lund Svindal Cyprien Richard 2012 Marcel Hirscher Ted Ligety Massimiliano Blardone 2013 Ted Ligety Marcel Hirscher Alexis Pinturault 2014 Ted Ligety Marcel Hirscher Alexis Pinturault 2015 Marcel Hirscher Alexis Pinturault Ted Ligety 2016 Marcel Hirscher Alexis Pinturault Henrik Kristoffersen 2017 Marcel Hirscher Mathieu Faivre Alexis Pinturault Men 's most podiums in world Cup Skiers having most podium in FIS Alpine Ski World Cup. Still active Updated to 5 February 2018. # Skier Total Last Ingemar Stenmark 72 19 - 02 - 1989 Marcel Hirscher 52 28 - 01 - 2018 Michael Von Grueningen 46 15 - 03 - 2003 Ted Ligety 41 28 - 01 - 2018 5 Benjamin Raich 35 01 - 03 - 2015 6 Alberto Tomba 31 06 - 01 - 1998 7 Hermann Maier 28 23 - 10 - 2005 8 Phil Mahre 26 05 - 03 - 1984 9 Gustavo Thoeni 26 02 - 01 - 1977 10 Alexis Pinturault 26 06 - 01 - 2018 11 Marc Girardelli 26 27 - 03 - 1993 12 Massimiliano Blardone 25 13 - 02 - 2016 13 Bode Miller 21 08 - 12 - 2013 14 Fredrik Nyberg 20 17 - 03 - 2006 See also List of Olympic medalists in men 's giant slalom List of Olympic medalists in women 's giant slalom List of Paralympic medalists in men 's giant slalom List of Paralympic medalists in women 's giant slalom List of World Champions in giant slalom References ^ Jump up to : `` The International Ski Competition Rules '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 2017 - 01 - 16. Jump up ^ Ted Ligety, Skiing 's Most Outspoken Critic, Is Still the Best in the World, bleacher report, 2012 - 10 - 28. Jump up ^ A Letter To FIS, David Dodge, 2011. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ Update on Injury Trends in Alpine Skiing, Johnson, Etlinger, Shealy, Update on Injury Trends in Alpine Skiing, 2009 Jump up ^ Unfälle und Verletzungen im alpinen Skisport, David Schulz, Auswertungsstelle für Skiunfälle, Stiftung Sicherheit im Skisport, 2011. Jump up ^ Francesco Vida. La storia dello sci in Italia. Jump up ^ Allen, John. `` First Giant Slalom ''. Skiing Heritage. International Skiing History Assoc. Retrieved 31 December 2011. Jump up ^ `` Winter Sports Chart - Alpine Skiing ''. wintersport-charts.info. Retrieved 11 February 2018. Jump up ^ `` GIANT SLALOM - COMPETITORS HAVING MORE THAN ONE PODIUM ''. fis-ski.com. Retrieved 5 February 2018. 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Question: what is the distance of the giant slalom in the olympics
Answer: vertical drop for a GS course must be 250–450 m (820–1,480 ft) for men, and 250–400 m (820–1,310 ft) for women