A Ski Racer’s Take on Olympic Slopestyle

    Watching Olympic slopestyle as a ski racer can be a strange experience. The sport showcases incredible athleticism and creativity, but its format feels very different from the high-stakes environment of alpine ski racing. Nowhere is that difference clearer than in how mistakes are handled. 

    In ski racing there is no room for interpretation—it is simply you against the clock. In technical events like slalom and giant slalom (GS) racers get two runs and a combined time. In speed events like super giant slalom (super-G) and downhill, athletes only get one run. This means that racers must go all out, even if they make a small mistake. 

    Slopestyle works very differently. Instead of racing the clock, athletes are judged based on style, difficulty, and execution. At the Olympics, competitors get three runs with only their best score counting. In theory, this format should push the limits of what is possible. In practice, it often leads athletes abandoning a solid run because of a minor mistake. A slightly unstable landing or missed rail exit early in the course is all it takes for the skiers to skip the rest of the features entirely. From a spectator’s perspective, this creates a strange dynamic, as many competitors will abandon the run halfway through, knowing that the score will no longer be competitive and that it is safer to avoid any unnecessary risk. In ski racing, this simply does not happen. If the racer is still on their feet, they are pushing as hard as possible to the finish.

    A simple change could improve this. Instead of only counting the single best run, slopestyle competitions could require the best two out of three runs to be considered for a medal. This change would reward consistency in addition to difficulty, and more importantly it would keep the pressure high and ensure that competitors don’t give up on any individual run. Slopestyle will always be different from ski racing, and that is part of what makes it unique. But a format that rewards consistency as well as difficulty will only result in a more competitive and compelling event.