What is Freestyle Skiing

• History
• Disciplines

Aerials

Olympic discipline
Aerials is not for the faint of heart. At the National Team level, competitors hit the jumps or "kickers" at speeds of 60+ km/h, launch themselves some 50 feet in the air and perform triple back somersaults with up to five twists, landing on a steep landing hill most people would be nervous just skiing down.

Judging
Competitors must perform two different jumps consisting of single or multiple somersaults with or without twists. Each jump must vary by one somersault or one twist. Points are awarded for take-off (20% of score), form in the air (50% of score) and landing (30% of score). Scores of both jumps are added together for a final mark.

Competition Format
Competitions are either: a) Qualification round with a 12-person final or b) (at the lower levels) each competitor gets two jumps. Results in either format are combined score of the competitor's two jumps.

Single Moguls

Olympic discipline
Speed, turns and air... Mogul skiing is probably the most accessible of the Freestyle disciplines and is one of the most exciting and spectacular of all winter sports. Everyone who skis has had to negotiate bumps or moguls at some point and knows how challenging they can be. The incredible skill, athleticism and courage of the world's top mogul skiers makes it look easy, as they race straight down the fall line at lightening speeds.

Judging
Competitors rip down the 29-degree mogul course and launch themselves off two jumps on the way down under scrutiny of a panel of seven judges. Marks are awarded for the technical quality of the skier's turns (50%), the two upright aerial manoeuvres (25%) and speed (25%). While speed is a factor, the fastest skier across the finish line does not necessarily win.

Competition Format
Competitions are either: a) Qualifying round with a single descent, followed by a final featuring the top 12 from the first round or b) Best of two runs.

Dual Moguls

World Championship discipline
Head-to-head action... In Dual Moguls, competitors race head-to-head in knock-out rounds. The added adrenaline of racing side-by-side means skiers often push themselves beyond their limits, resulting in either spectacular crashes or some of the most awesome bump skiing you will ever see.

Dual Moguls became a separate FIS discipline in 1996 and officials hope it will join Single Moguls and Aerials as an Olympic event in the future.

Judging
As with Single Moguls, a panel of seven judges award marks for turns, speed and air, deciding by a show of panels who will go forward to the next round. Again the fastest skier over the finish line is not necessarily the winner.

Competition Format
Competitions are either: a) Single run qualification round (as per single Moguls) to seed the Duals, which would usually be sixteen pairs of Duals or b) Elimination rounds of the entire filed of competitors based on seeding from either the results of a prior Dual competition or a prior Single Moguls competition.

Skier Cross

World Cup discipline
This event is kind of the NASCAR of the ski world. In this event athletes ski down the equivalent of a mini downhill course with a variety of "elements" (jumps, turns, hits, rollers) in groups of four. The object of the exercise is to make it down the course the fastest but also in one piece. The course is very tight so there are plenty of opportunities for mishaps, which make these races very exciting to watch (and participate in - if you dare!).

Judging
No judging - this is a speed event.

Competition Format
Single speed run for seeding then a final featuring the top-32 men and top-16 women. Each group is divided into 4 riders per heat. The top two per heat move on to the next round.

Halfpipe

The newest World Cup discipline
In Half Pipe or "Pipe" skiers fly off the side of a Half-pipe built with up to 6-metre-high walls and perform a multitude of flips, spins and grabs (a competitor can usually manage to complete 5 or 6 jumps (hits) in a run); in this case, however, the take-off and landing are one in the same so the athlete's trajectory is essentially STRAIGHT UP! The highest skilled athletes can land and ski into their next hit going backwards which is just amazing to watch!

Judging
A panel of five or seven judges award marks for Air, Style*, and Landing with a degree of difficulty (DD) multiplier.
*Style is essentially showmanship - how much "personality" the athletes put into the jumps.

Competition Format
Competitions are either: a) Single run qualification round followed by a top 12 final or b) Best Run of Two.

Table Top

Non World Cup discipline
In Table Top, skiers fly off a gentler form of kicker and perform combinations of flips, spins and grabs and can choose to take off, or land, either forwards or "switch" (backwards). The event combines the skill and execution of aerials with the freedom of expression of the "Free Ride" movement. This event also provided the basis for the development of many of the cool new jumps now being performed in Moguls. In many cases now, both Classic Aerials and Table Top formats are combined into a single event.

Judging
A panel of five or seven judges award marks for Air, Style*, and Landing with a degree of difficulty (DD) multiplier. * Style is essentially showmanship - how much "personality" the athletes put into the jumps.

Competition Format
Competitions are either: a) Single jump qualification round followed by a top-12 final or b) Best one jump of two or c) Best two jumps of three.