SKI RACING TERMINOLOGY
A mostly accurate, slightly unhinged guide to ski racing language
Ski racing has its own dialect. Coaches speak it fluently. Athletes pretend they do. Parents nod along while Googling terms in secret.
This dictionary exists to help. Or at least to make you laugh while you learn.
ARCING
When skis are flexed, high up on edge, with minimal snow spray. This is fast. This is the goal.
Synonyms: dicing, knifing
FALL-LINE
The path a snowball would take if you rolled it downhill. Also where gravity wants you to go whether you like it or not.
DEPTH
The gold standard of tactics. Entering a turn neither too high nor too low, building pressure smoothly in the fall-line, and arcing cleanly to the next gate. The best athletes are very good at this.
Synonym: arcing out
PINCHING
Traveling directly from gate to gate and leaving no room to build momentum. Likely requires a serious stivot. Feels rushed. Not often fast.
HOOKY
Turning too late and having to pressure the skis back up the hill. Looks like a fish hook. Also not fast.
LATE
A feeling, not just a timing issue. Pressure happens below the gate, panic increases, and things unravel quickly.
STIVOT / STIV / STIVVY
A purposeful redirection of skis to control speed while maintaining an aggressive line. Strategic. Advanced. Easy to mess up, slow if it looks more like a hockey stop than a floating drift.
KNUCK-DRAGGING / DRAGGING-KNUCKS
When an athlete is so low that their inside hand drags on the snow. Looks cool. Often means leaning in or dropping the inside hand.
HIP-DRAGGING
Same idea, higher stakes. Looks like Ted Ligety. Rarely as effective. Likely leads to hipping out; see next term.
HIPPED OUT
The result of losing edge contact mid arc and sliding out on your hip. Usually followed by a long slide and regret (those that hip out should be careful not to let their edges catch for fear of high-siding).
APEX
The point in a turn where half of the total direction change has occurred. Pressure should peak here. Magic happens when the edge releases and the racer accelerates into the next turn.
EARLY LOAD
Applying pressure to the ski earlier in the turn. Done correctly, it feels powerful and smooth. Done incorrectly, it might require a misplaced stivot or double turn.
STRAIGHT AND LATE
Typically in GS, when an athlete is sending it and taking a super tight, straight line. Starts feeling “late” in the turn. High commitment, high speed, high drama.
PINNING IT
Generally a straight and aggressive line. Efficient and, for the most part, exciting to watch. Fast until it’s not.
SENDING
“Jeeze, they’re sending it.” Usually said when someone is full charging down a course without worrying about consequences. All about speed and confidence, sometimes at the edge of chaos.
SWINGY
Lots of big turns across the hill. Translation: a tedious and often difficult set.
Synonyms: turny, offset
OPEN
Plenty of space between gates. Allows room to breathe. Requires patience. Usually welcomed by less technically inclined racers.
TIGHT
Minimal vertical distance between gates. Requires fast feet and quicker decisions. Can also be swingy, which is rude.
STRAIGHT
Gates set close to the fall-line with minimal turn shape. Can still vary in spacing. Straight and open is the easiest. Also the least exciting.
HAIRPIN
Slalom only. Two consecutive vertical gates set directly in line with each other, vertically down the fall line, requiring two very quick turns. Rhythm destroyer, unless you can samba.
FLUSH
Like a hairpin but longer. Three or more gates stacked vertically. Tricky tricky.
DELAY
A gate (or rarely a three) combination skied around on the same side, creating an elongated arc. Confusing at first, especially for younger or less experienced athletes.
Synonyms: Under gate, banana
SET
How the course is laid out. Universally discussed. Frequently blamed.
FLAGGING / FLAGGED
When someone crashes ahead and a marshal waves a flag to stop you mid-course in a race. Almost always happens when you’re having the best run of your life.
SETTER
The coach who designed the course. Praised or questioned depending on results.
RUTTY
When grooves form in softer snow as athletes pass through. Bumpy, unpredictable, and jealousy-inducing when someone skis them well.
GROOVES
Parallel tracks in the snow created by skis skiing the same line. Sometimes helpful. Sometimes the beginning of chaos.
SHELF
The ultimate rut. Forces athletes into a deep track further away from the gate, requiring later racers to travel a further distance over. Not fun.
LANE
The hill area where teams set courses and train. Always a madhouse at camps. Copperopolis or Palmer, anyone?
HERO SNOW
When everything works and arcing feels effortless. Athletes feel unstoppable. Often found in Colorado.
BALLY
Ice balls everywhere. No edge grip. Feels like skiing on marbles. #notfun
Synonym: death cookies
INJECTED
Water injected into the snow to create a very firm surface. Loved by athletes with sharp edges. Feared by those without.
PITCH
A steep section. Demands commitment.
FLATS
Low-angle sections. Speed matters.
FALSE FLAT
Looks flat. Is not. Tricks you every time.
FLAT LIGHT
Overcast conditions that remove contrast and depth perception. Blue dye helps. Complaining does not.
DNF
Did Not Finish. Often used as a verb.
BLEW OUT
Failed to finish due to speed, tactics, or ambition.
BLEW UP
When an athlete’s skis overload with energy and go out of control. Scary to watch and often leads to crashes or knee injuries.
HIKE / HIKED
Allowed only in slalom. Skiing back up to make a missed gate and continue.
DQ / DSQ
Disqualified. Usually from straddling or missing a gate.
DNQ
Did not qualify for the second run.
STRADDLE
When skis decide to go on opposite sides of the gate, leaving the athlete looking like a confused penguin. Will ruin the run. Maybe the whole day.
DFL
Ski racer speak for "Dead F****** Last." Oof.
PENALTY
A number that reflects race difficulty and impacts points. Lower is better.
COMBINED TIME
The sum of both runs. One great run does not win races. Two solid ones do.
SPLIT / INTERMEDIATE TIME
A mid-course time check that tells a story, sometimes tragic.
SEED / THE FLIP
Top-ranked athletes and the reversed start order for the second run. Strategic planning required.
BIB DRAW
Determines race start order. Top-ranked (usually top 15) athletes in a discipline pick their bib first. No pressure.
SCORE / SCORED
“At least they scored.” Finished high enough to earn points (usually top 30). In World Cup events, more points are better. In FIS races, scoring well lowers your FIS points and improves your ranking.
BIBBO
Unofficial award for the biggest move-up in the ranks. Deserves more recognition.
WOODEN SPOON
Fourth place. Painful.
INSPECTION
The slow slide through the course before racing to plan line and tactics.
BROWER TIMING SYSTEM
The system that counts your run but also your patience. Loved by no one, tolerated by officials, hated by athletes everywhere. Often blamed for mysterious millisecond losses.
LIVE TIMING
The website where everyone refreshes obsessively, judges secretly, and makes parents panic.
TOP SHEET
The part of the ski you see.
BASE
The part of the ski you should protect.
EDGE
The sharp metal strip on the ski that makes everything possible.
SIDEWALL
The material between the top sheet and the edge. Faster when smooth.
31’S / 27’S
Slalom gate thickness. Big kids and little kids.
30’S / 35’S
GS ski radii. Rule changes pending.
DIN
An internationally standardized scale to set binding release values. Determined by height, weight, boot sole length, and ability. Incorrect settings lead to unwanted releases or no release at all. Neither are fun.
BOOSTER STRAPS
Elastic power straps added to boots that improve responsiveness. Once you use them, you will not go back. Pro steeze tip: your race suit goes under the booster strap. Whether you let the strap flap freely or tuck it in neatly is a hotly debated topic among athletes.
GUMMI
A rubberized stone used to polish or dull ski edges. Different grits exist. Use carefully.
SOFT EAR
A helmet for freeskiing (or for slalom cool kids). Not FIS legal for speed events or GS.
FIS LEGAL
Approved equipment for sanctioned racing.
SPEED SUIT / RACE SUIT
Tight-fitting uniform for aerodynamics. Don't call ski racers "Spandex Warriors." They hate that.
CHIN BAR
Face protection for slalom.
STEALTH
A padded top worn under a race suit. Very smart.
RACE TECH
The person who tunes and waxes your skis. Often a coach, parent, or #1 fan. We love you. But also, learning to prep your own skis is strongly encouraged.
CUT RESISTANT
A new FIS-required base layer designed to protect you from the very sharp ski edges you (or your beloved race tech) just fine-tuned.
EARLY LOAD (TRAINING VERSION)
Super early training sessions. Cold. Dark. Quiet. Character building.
Synonym: Early bird
STRIPPING
Not what it sounds like. Shedding jackets and pants before a training run to ski in your race suit. Basically a dress rehearsal for timing, speed, and feel.
FOR THE VOLUME
Skiing a lot to build durability and feel. Usually said when legs are already tired.
TWO-MINUS-ONE
The safe version of “one more run.” Don’t say “one more run” or “last run” unless you want something terrible to happen.
“THAT WAS FINE”
It was not fine.
“BUT I WAS SKIING SO FAST”
Speed perception does not always match the clock.
“I JUST NEED ONE CLEAN RUN”
Everyone needs one clean run. Or at least they think they do.
“WE’RE HAVING FUN!”
Are we?
“MY SKIS FELT WEIRD”
The universal excuse.
“I ALMOST HAD IT”
Almost counts emotionally.
“I’D LIKE THAT SET IN TRAINING”
A polite way of saying it was hard.
“I CAN’T FEEL MY FEET.”
It’s below zero and your boots are two sizes smaller than your shoes. Yeah, you probably can’t feel them.