Super giant slalom, or super-G, is a racing discipline of alpine skiing. Along with the faster downhill, it is regarded as a "speed" event, in contrast to the technical events giant slalom and slalom. It debuted as an official World Cup event during the 1983 season and was added to the official schedule of the World Championships in 1987 and the Winter Olympics in 1988.

Austrian alpine skier Christoph Kornberger competing in super-G

Much like downhill, a super-G course consists of widely set gates that racers must pass through. The course is set so that skiers must turn more than in downhill, though the speeds are still much higher than in giant slalom (hence the name). Each athlete only has one run to clock the best time. In the Olympics, super-G courses are usually set on the same slopes as the downhill, but with a lower starting point.

History

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Super-G was run as a World Cup test event during the 1982 season, with two men's races and a women's race that did not count in the season standings.[1]

Approved by the International Ski Federation (FIS) that summer, it was first officially run at the World Cup level in December 1982 at Val-d'Isère, France; the winner was Peter Müller of Switzerland. The first official women's super-G was run a month later in early January 1983, with consecutive events at Verbier, Switzerland. The first winner was Irene Epple of West Germany, and Cindy Nelson of the United States won the next day on a different course.[2]

These were the only two races for women in super-G during the 1983 season; the men had three. The event was not universally embraced during its early years,[3] which included a boycott by two-time defending overall champion Phil Mahre in December 1982.[4][5]

For the first three seasons, super-G results were added into the giant slalom discipline for the season standings; it gained separate status for a crystal globe for the 1986 season with five events for both men and women; the first champions were Markus Wasmeier and Marina Kiehl, both of West Germany.

It was added to the World Championships in 1987, held at Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Swiss skiers Pirmin Zurbriggen and Maria Walliser won gold medals to become the first world champions in the event. Super-G made its Olympic debut in 1988 in Calgary, where Franck Piccard of France and Sigrid Wolf of Austria took gold at Nakiska.

Top racers

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Hermann Maier of Austria (nicknamed 'The Herminator') is widely regarded as the greatest male super-G racer, with 24 World Cup victories and five World Cup titles (19982001, 2004). He won the world championship in 1999 and an Olympic gold medal in 1998, three days after a crash in the downhill.

Maier's proficiency in super-G was attributed to his thorough course inspection and his aggressive course tactics; he opted for the most direct and dangerous line down the hill. A serious motorcycle accident in August 2001 nearly resulted in an amputation of his lower right leg and sidelined him for the 2002 season, including the 2002 Olympics. After his return to the World Cup circuit in January 2003, Maier won eight more World Cup super-G events and his fifth season title in 2004.

Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway is second on the list with 17 wins in World Cup super-G races, Kjetil Jansrud third with his 13 wins. Svindal won Olympic gold in 2010 and his fifth season title in 2014

Pirmin Zurbriggen won four consecutive season titles (198790) and was the first world champion of this discipline in 1987.

Kjetil André Aamodt of Norway, a triple gold medalist in Olympic super-G races, winning in 1992, 2002 and 2006. Aamodt won five World Cup races and two world championship medals (silver and bronze) in the discipline.

Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg, a five-time overall World Cup champion, won nine World Cup super-G events. He won season titles in every discipline except super-G, where he was a runner-up three times. Girardelli was the silver medalist in the super-G at the 1987 World Championships and the 1992 Olympics.

Women

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Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. leads with 28 World Cup victories in super-G and has won five season titles (20092012, 2015).

Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland has won 22 World Cup races, five season titles (2014, 2016, 2021, 2023, 2024 ), and a Gold medal in the event at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Katja Seizinger of Germany won five season titles in the 1990s, with 16 World Cup wins in the discipline.

Neither Vonn and Seizinger have won gold in the super-G at the Olympics (both won a bronze) while Gut-Behrami has. However all three of them have won a world title, Vonn in 2009, Gut-Behrami in 2021 and Seizinger in 1993.

Renate Götschl of Austria won 17 World Cup events in super-G, three season titles, and two medals (silver and bronze) in the world championships.

Course

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The vertical drop for a Super-G course must be between 350–650 m (1,150–2,130 ft) for men, 350–600 m (1,150–1,970 ft) for women, and 250–450 m (820–1,480 ft) for children.

In the Olympic Winter Games, FIS World Ski Championships, and FIS World Cups, minimums are raised to 400 m (1,300 ft) for both men and women. Courses are normally at least 30 m (98 ft) in width, but sections with lower widths are permissible if the line and terrain before and after allow it. Higher widths can also be required if deemed necessary. Gates must be between 6 m (20 ft) and 8 m (26 ft) in width for open gates, and between 8 m (26 ft) and 12 m (39 ft) in width for vertical gates. The distance between turning poles of successive gates must be at least 25 m (82 ft). The number of direction changes must be at least 7% of the course drop in meters (6% for Olympic Winter Games, FIS World Ski Championships and FIS World Cups).[6]

Equipment

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In an attempt to increase safety, the 2004 season saw the FIS impose minimum ski lengths for the super-G for the first time: to 205 cm (80.7 in) for men and 200 cm (78.7 in) for women. The minimum turning radius was increased to 45 m (148 ft) for the 2014 season.

World Cup podiums

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Men

The following table contains the men's Super-G (from 2007 Super combined) World Cup podiums since the first edition in 1986.

Season 1st 2nd 3rd
1986   Markus Wasmeier   Pirmin Zurbriggen   Marc Girardelli
1987   Pirmin Zurbriggen   Marc Girardelli   Markus Wasmeier
1988   Pirmin Zurbriggen   Markus Wasmeier   Franck Piccard
1989   Pirmin Zurbriggen   Lars-Börje Eriksson   Franck Piccard
1990   Pirmin Zurbriggen   Günther Mader   Lars-Börje Eriksson
1991   Franz Heinzer   Stephan Eberharter   Atle Skårdal
1992   Paul Accola   Marc Girardelli   Günther Mader
1993   Kjetil André Aamodt   Günther Mader   Franz Heinzer
1994   Jan Einar Thorsen   Marc Girardelli   Tommy Moe
1995   Peter Runggaldier   Günther Mader   Werner Perathoner
1996   Atle Skårdal   Hans Knauß   Lasse Kjus
1997   Luc Alphand   Josef Strobl   Andreas Schifferer
1998   Hermann Maier   Hans Knauß   Stephan Eberharter
1999   Hermann Maier   Stephan Eberharter   Andreas Schifferer
2000   Hermann Maier   Werner Franz   Fritz Strobl
2001   Hermann Maier   Christoph Gruber   Josef Strobl
2002   Stephan Eberharter   Didier Cuche   Fritz Strobl
2003   Stephan Eberharter   Marco Büchel   Didier Cuche
2004   Hermann Maier   Daron Rahlves   Stephan Eberharter
2005   Bode Miller   Hermann Maier   Daron Rahlves
2006   Aksel Lund Svindal   Hermann Maier   Daron Rahlves
2007   Bode Miller   Didier Cuche   John Kucera
2008   Hannes Reichelt   Didier Cuche   Benjamin Raich
2009   Aksel Lund Svindal   Werner Heel   Didier Défago
2010   Erik Guay   Michael Walchhofer   Aksel Lund Svindal
2011   Didier Cuche   Georg Streitberger   Ivica Kostelić
2012   Aksel Lund Svindal   Didier Cuche   Beat Feuz
2013   Aksel Lund Svindal   Matteo Marsaglia   Matthias Mayer
2014   Aksel Lund Svindal   Kjetil Jansrud   Patrick Küng
2015   Kjetil Jansrud   Dominik Paris   Matthias Mayer
2016   Aleksander Aamodt Kilde   Kjetil Jansrud   Aksel Lund Svindal
2017   Kjetil Jansrud   Hannes Reichelt   Aleksander Aamodt Kilde
2018   Kjetil Jansrud   Vincent Kriechmayr   Aksel Lund Svindal
2019   Dominik Paris   Vincent Kriechmayr   Mauro Caviezel
2020   Mauro Caviezel   Vincent Kriechmayr   Aleksander Aamodt Kilde
2021   Vincent Kriechmayr   Marco Odermatt   Matthias Mayer
2022   Aleksander Aamodt Kilde   Marco Odermatt   Vincent Kriechmayr
2023   Marco Odermatt   Aleksander Aamodt Kilde   Vincent Kriechmayr
2024   Marco Odermatt   Vincent Kriechmayr   Raphael Haaser

Women

Season 1st 2nd 3rd
1986   Marina Kiehl   Liisa Savijarvi   Michaela Marzola
1987   Maria Walliser   Catherine Quittet   Marina Kiehl
1988   Michela Figini   Sylvia Eder   Regine Mösenlechner
  Blanca Fernández Ochoa
1989   Carole Merle   Sigrid Wolf   Anita Wachter
1990   Carole Merle   Michaela Gerg-Leitner   Sigrid Wolf
1991   Carole Merle   Petra Kronberger   Michaela Gerg-Leitner
1992   Carole Merle   Merete Fjeldavlie   Katja Seizinger
1993   Katja Seizinger   Ulrike Maier   Carole Merle
1994   Katja Seizinger   Bibiana Perez   Hilde Gerg
1995   Katja Seizinger   Heidi Zeller-Bähler   Heidi Zurbriggen
1996   Katja Seizinger   Alexandra Meissnitzer   Martina Ertl
1997   Hilde Gerg   Katja Seizinger   Pernilla Wiberg
1998   Katja Seizinger   Renate Götschl   Isolde Kostner
1999   Alexandra Meissnitzer   Michaela Dorfmeister   Martina Ertl
2000   Renate Götschl   Mélanie Turgeon   Mojca Suhadolc
2001   Régine Cavagnoud   Renate Götschl   Carole Montillet
2002   Hilde Gerg   Alexandra Meissnitzer   Michaela Dorfmeister
2003   Carole Montillet   Renate Götschl   Karen Putzer
2004   Renate Götschl   Carole Montillet   Michaela Dorfmeister
2005   Michaela Dorfmeister   Renate Götschl   Lindsey Kildow
2006   Michaela Dorfmeister   Alexandra Meissnitzer   Nadia Styger
2007   Renate Götschl   Nicole Hosp   Lindsey Kildow
2008   Maria Riesch   Elisabeth Görgl   Fabienne Suter
2009   Lindsey Vonn   Nadia Fanchini   Fabienne Suter
2010   Lindsey Vonn   Elisabeth Görgl   Nadia Styger
2011   Lindsey Vonn   Maria Riesch   Julia Mancuso
2012   Lindsey Vonn   Julia Mancuso   Anna Fenninger
2013   Tina Maze   Julia Mancuso   Anna Fenninger
2014   Lara Gut   Anna Fenninger   Tina Weirather
2015   Lindsey Vonn   Anna Fenninger   Tina Maze
2016   Lara Gut   Tina Weirather   Lindsey Vonn
2017   Tina Weirather   Ilka Štuhec   Lara Gut
2018   Tina Weirather   Lara Gut   Anna Veith
2019   Mikaela Shiffrin   Nicole Schmidhofer   Tina Weirather
2020   Corinne Suter   Federica Brignone   Nicole Schmidhofer
2021   Lara Gut-Behrami   Federica Brignone   Corinne Suter
2022   Federica Brignone   Elena Curtoni   Mikaela Shiffrin
2023   Lara Gut-Behrami   Federica Brignone   Ragnhild Mowinckel
2024   Lara Gut-Behrami   Federica Brignone   Cornelia Huetter

Super G at the major competitions

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Men

Competition Course setter 1st 2nd 3rd
1987 WCH
1988 WOG   Franck Piccard   Helmut Mayer   Lars-Borje Eriksson
1989 WCH
1991 WCH
1992 WOG   Kjetil André Aamodt   Marc Girardelli   Jan Einar Thorsen
1993 WCH
1994 WOG   Markus Wasmeier   Tommy Moe   Kjetil André Aamodt
1996 WCH
1997 WCH   Atle Skårdal   Lasse Kjus   Günther Mader
1998 WOG   Hermann Maier   Didier Cuche   Hans Knauß
1999 WCH   Lasse Kjus
  Hermann Maier
  None awarded   Hans Knauß
2001 WCH   Daron Rahlves   Stephan Eberharter   Hermann Maier
2002 WOG   F. Zueger   Kjetil André Aamodt   Stephan Eberharter   Andreas Schifferer
2003 WCH   M. Arnesen   Stephan Eberharter   Bode Miller   Hermann Maier
2005 WCH   M. Arnesen   Bode Miller   Michael Walchhofer   Benjamin Raich
2006 WOG   A. Evers   Kjetil André Aamodt   Hermann Maier   Ambrosi Hoffmann
2007 WCH   H. Flatscher   Patrick Staudacher   Fritz Strobl   Bruno Kernen
2009 WCH   G. L. Rulfi   Didier Cuche   Peter Fill   Aksel Lund Svindal
2010 WOG   G. L. Rulfi   Aksel Lund Svindal   Bode Miller   Andrew Weibrecht
2011 WCH   H. Flatscher   Christof Innerhofer   Hannes Reichelt   Ivica Kostelić
2013 WCH   T. Moger   Ted Ligety   Gauthier de Tessières   Aksel Lund Svindal
2014 WOG   P. Morisod   Kjetil Jansrud   Andrew Weibrecht   Bode Miller
2015 WCH   F. Winkler   Hannes Reichelt   Dustin Cook   Adrien Théaux
2017 WCH   A. Ghidoni   Erik Guay   Kjetil Jansrud   Manuel Osborne-Paradis
2018 WOG   A. Ghidoni   Matthias Mayer   Beat Feuz   Kjetil Jansrud
2019 WCH     Dominik Paris   Johan Clarey
  Vincent Kriechmayr
  None awarded
2021 WCH     Vincent Kriechmayr   Romed Baumann   Alexis Pinturault
2022 WOG     Matthias Mayer   Ryan Cochran-Siegle   Aleksander Aamodt Kilde

Women

Competition Course setter 1st 2nd 3rd
1987 WCH
1988 WOG   Sigrid Wolf   Michela Figini   Karen Percy
1989 WCH
1991 WCH
1992 WOG   Deborah Compagnoni   Carole Merle   Katja Seizinger
1993 WCH
1994 WOG   Diann Roffe Steinrotter   Svetlana Gladysheva   Isolde Kostner
1996 WCH
1997 WCH   Isolde Kostner   Katja Seizinger   Hilde Gerg
1998 WOG   Picabo Street   Michaela Dorfmeister   Alexandra Meissnitzer
1999 WCH   Alexandra Meissnitzer   Renate Götschl   Michaela Dorfmeister
2001 WCH   Régine Cavagnoud   Isolde Kostner   Hilde Gerg
2002 WOG   P. Endrass   Daniela Ceccarelli   Janica Kostelić   Karen Putzer
2003 WCH   B. Zobel   Michaela Dorfmeister   Kristen Clark   Jonna Mendes
2005 WCH   X. Fournier   Anja Pärson   Lucia Recchia   Julia Mancuso
2006 WOG   J. Graller   Michaela Dorfmeister   Janica Kostelić   Alexandra Meissnitzer
2007 WCH   J. Graller   Anja Pärson   Lindsey Vonn   Renate Götschl
2009 WCH   U. Emilsson   Lindsey Vonn   Marie Marchand-Arvier   Andrea Fischbacher
2010 WOG   J. Kriechbaum   Andrea Fischbacher   Tina Maze   Lindsey Vonn
2011 WCH   J. Kriechbaum   Elisabeth Görgl   Julia Mancuso   Maria Riesch
2013 WCH   D. Petrini   Tina Maze     Lara Gut   Julia Mancuso
2014 WOG   F. Winkler   Anna Fenninger   Maria Hoefl-Riesch   Nicole Hosp
2015 WCH   R. Assinger   Anna Fenninger   Tina Maze   Lindsey Vonn
2017 WCH   A. Ghezze   Nicole Schmidhofer   Tina Weirather     Lara Gut
2018 WOG   M. Tatschl   Ester Ledecká   Anna Veith   Tina Weirather
2019 WCH     Mikaela Shiffrin   Sofia Goggia     Corinne Suter
2021 WCH     Lara Gut   Corinne Suter   Mikaela Shiffrin
2022 WOG     Lara Gut   Mirjam Puchner   Michelle Gisin

WOG - Winter Olympic Games, WCH - FIS World Ski Championships

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Cindy Nelson winner of new super slalom". Ottawa Citizen. Associated Press. March 24, 1982. p. 31.
  2. ^ "Nelson takes super giant ski slalom title". Gettysburg Times. Associated Press. January 11, 1983. p. 8.
  3. ^ Wood, Larry (March 11, 1985). "Super-G inspires a super yawn". Calgary Herald. p. C1.
  4. ^ "Downhill specialist wins World Cup 'super-G'". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. December 23, 1982. p. 26.
  5. ^ Chamberlain, Tony (March 9, 1983). "As season finishes, brothers Mahre find skiing kind of a drag". Spokane Chronicle. (Boston Globe). p. C4.
  6. ^ "The International Ski Competition Rules, Book IV, Joint Regulations for Alpine Skiing" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-12-15. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
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