# Influence of the Slope and Gate Offset on Movement Variability and Performance in Slalom Skiing
## 4 Discussion and Conclusions  
This study aimed to (a) evaluate the influence of different slopes and slalom gate offsets on MV through an IMU and to (b) assess the relationship between MV and performance of elite alpine skiers. To the best of our understanding, this study represents the initial attempt to investigate the impact of terrain features, such as the steepness of the slope (flatter and steeper), and course settings, involving gate offset variations (turned and straighter courses), on skier's MV. Also, it is the first that relates skiers' performance to MV in the field of alpine skiing. The main findings corroborated the hypotheses and pointed out that (a) steep and turned courses increased skier's MV and that (b) best-performing skiers exhibited a lower MV. The results of this study indicated that skier's MV increased with slope steepness. Thus, the steepness of the slope can be considered a conditioning factor that increases the difficulty of the task of descending an SL [56]. This is supported from a biomechanical perspective. [PERSON] et al. [3] reported significant kinematic and kinetic variations in ski turn execution when comparing turns performed on slopes with different inclinations: 25.2\({}^{\circ}\) (\(\approx\)47%) and 19.8\({}^{\circ}\) (\(\approx\)36%). On the steeper slope, skiers initiated their turns earlier, with the apex located before the gate; turns were sharper with a tighter radius and lateral knee and hip angles were more pronounced, suggesting a heightened focus on controlling speed and edge engagement. The increased potential energy available on steeper slopes demands greater energy dissipation and, consequently, higher accelerations and forces [57]. This dynamic necessitates alterations in the skier's coordination patterns to maintain equilibrium throughout the turn, reducing speed across all turn phases. This observation aligns with our findings since skiers exhibited the longest descent times on steeper slopes, further supporting the notion of increased task difficulty. Furthermore, slope inclination has been shown to induce a greater activation of lower limb muscles [58], which play a crucial role in powering turns and maintaining stability. These findings collectively indicate that slope variations significantly modulate task difficulty, prompting skiers to adapt their movement patterns and muscle activation strategies to successfully navigate the varying terrain. Concerning course settings, changing the distance between gates modifies the characteristics of the course and, therefore, the trajectories that skiers must follow. Although the FIS establishes regulations [51], considerable flexibility remains in determining course setting features. For instance, manipulating the horizontal distance between gates, known as the gate offset, can alter the turning demands of the course. In the present study, two different gate offsets (3.25 m and 4 m) were set, and it was observed that there was a tendency for skier MV to increase with the gate offset, particularly on courses with higher turning demands (FT and ST). These findings align with those of previous biomechanical studies that have examined the impact of increasing the gate offset in giant slalom and super-giant slalom [59; 60]. [PERSON] et al. [59] demonstrated that increasing the horizontal gate offset in giant slalom led to a decrease in speed during the steering out of the turn, a prolonged centripetal force duration, which significantly doubled at turn completion, and a predominance of backward skier positions (weight shifted toward the ski tails) and lateral inclinations (toward turn, inwards). These factors contributed to the adoption of more critical postures that may heighten the risk of out-of-balance situations. Notably, high standard deviations of speed, centripetal force, and front-back positions were observed at the end of the turn on the more turned course, indicating that skiers exhibited increased variability in their movement patterns when the horizontal gate offset was widened. Similarly, [PERSON] et al.