Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Alpine Skiing: Top Contenders

Alpine skiing is one of the most spectacular sports in the Winter Olympics. Participants accelerate on a twisty track to 152 km / h (95 mph), while coping with sharp turns and fast jumps. In total, at the 2022 Games in Beijing, skiers will compete for 11 sets of awards. So who are the top contenders? We bring to your attention everything you need to know about Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics alpine skiing. This includes the history of the sport, the story of the best skiers, and much more!

Top Skiers at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games

Alpine skiing is one of the most physically challenging sports in the Winter Olympics program. Perhaps this explains the fact that in the entire history of alpine skiing, only five participants managed to defend their Olympic title. If the trend continues, Beijing will give us many new champions and winners of alpine skiing. At the same time, one should not write off recognized stars and experienced craftsmen.

Mikaela Shiffrin Strives for New Victories

One of the biggest names worth paying attention to in Beijing is Mikaela Shiffrin (USA). 1xBET Sportsbook is giving the most chances to win for Mikaela Shiffrin. The two-time Olympic champion won four medals at the 2021 World Championships (including gold in the alpine skiing combination). Her career achievements are impressive. Three-time World Cup overall winner, four-time World Slalom Champion. The only skier in history (women and men) to win all six FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup disciplines.

Shiffrin has gold medals in slalom and giant slalom, as well as silver in combination at the 2018 Winter Games. And she remains the favorite for awards across all three disciplines in Beijing.

Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Alpine Skiing: Esther Ledetskaya and Others

Esther Ledetskaya (Czech Republic) at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang won gold medals in the super-giant and parallel giant slalom on a snowboard. In the super-giant at the 2021 World Cup, she was fourth. And Lara Gut-Behrami (Switzerland), who was also the first in the giant slalom, won this discipline. Thereby she makes a significant claim for the Beijing podium in these events.

Michelle Gisin (Switzerland) – Pyeongchang champion in the alpine skiing combination. She is in good shape, as evidenced by a third place at this year’s World Championships. I wonder if Sofia Goja (Italy) will be able to defend her Olympic crown downhill? Gut-Behrami and 2021 World Champion Corinne Suther (Switzerland) are ready to challenge the Italian and compete for the highest award.

Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Alpine Skiing: Men in Alpine Skiing

Two-time Olympic champion Marcel Hirscher (Austria) completed his performances in 2019, so he will not be defending his titles in giant slalom and combination in Beijing. Mathieu Febvre (France), who won gold in parallel giant slalom at the 2021 World Championships (non-Olympic sport) and giant slalom, could be the first in this discipline at his third Winter Games. Online sportsbook sites in China are confirming him as a top favorite to win the Olympics 2022. His serious opponent is Alexis Penturo (France), a silver medalist in combination and bronze medalist of Pyeongchang in giant slalom. Choose 1xBET Sportsbook as your guide in the upcoming Winter Olympics 2022.

Of course, no less attention deserves Vincent Kriechmayr (Austria). The reigning world champion in the super-giant and downhill, Matthias Mayer (Austria) – the winner of the Winter Olympic Games in the super-giant (2018) and downhill (2014). As well as five-time Olympic medalist and 2019 world champion in downhill Kjetil Jansrud (Norway).

The History of Alpine Skiing

The history of skiing goes back to prehistoric times, as evidenced by the finds of wooden boards of various shapes and sizes in peat bogs in Russia, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Radiocarbon analysis of the fragments found in Russia determined their age as 8000-7000 years BC. This practically proves that skiing was an integral part of everyday life in cold countries thousands of years ago. The birth of modern alpine skiing is often credited to the 1850s when Norwegian legend Sondre Norheim perfected equipment. He made shorter skis with curved sides, added heel straps, and invented the Telemark and Christiania (slalom) turning techniques.

Men’s and women’s alpine skiing debuted in the 1936 Olympic program in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The only discipline was the combined downhill and slalom competition. In 1948, there were already separate races in these types. Four years later, the giant slalom was added. And since 1988, the supergiant has become the fourth discipline of the program. In 2018, the mixed team competition was the latest addition to the winter Olympic alpine skiing competition.

Austria is the clear leader in this sport at the Olympics. She has 121 medals on her account. The closest pursuer – the Swiss national team – 55 less (22 awards in three types). Kjetil André Omodt (Norway) is the most titled alpine skier of the Winter Olympic Games, having won eight medals, including four of the highest standard. Janica Kostelic (Croatia) is the most successful skier. She has six awards, four of which are gold. Both Amodt and Kostelic are the only four-time winter Olympic champions in alpine skiing. According to online sportsbook news sites in China, Germany will lead the gold medal race in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. So check out our article about the early bet on the 2022 Winter Olympics.

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