Alpine skiing (AKA downhill skiing) is a sport involving speeding down snow-covered hills, with long, thing skis attached to your feet.  It originated from cross-country skiing when ski lifts developed at resorts to tow skiers back to the top of slopes.  The main challenges for skiers are controlling their speeds, and to control the direction that they are going. 

Alpine skiing has been featured in the Winter Olympic Games with events like the combined racing which has two different types of racing, slalom and downhill.  In the downhill discipline there are the highest speeds and therefore the greatest risks of all the alpine events.  Racers on a usual international-level course will reach and exceed speeds of 80 miles per hour (130 kph). 

A downhill course starts at the top of a mountain and is groomed specifically for the race.  Alternating red and blue gates are spaced far apart, but are visible from each other.  The course is designed to challenge professional skiers in many areas.  The courses may include skiing high speeds over ice, challenging turns, jumps, and extremely steep sections.