Where Speed Skiing falls short

When I seriously consider it, Speed Skiing to me is nothing more than gliding into a straight line and ending with a hockey stop. A very crude exercise to which are added fearlessness, huge strength and balance to withstand high speeds, but no skills comparable to those used in Alpine skiing or even freestyle. 

Another observation is that in spite of being a demonstration event at the 1992 Olympics, the decision not to keep it in future winter Olympics was made for several key reasons. Speed Skiing was found to be incredibly dangerous. Even with the best safety measures, the speeds involved (well over 200 km/h or 120 mph) can lead to extremely high-impact forces in the event of a crash. 

A tragic death occurred during a training run at the 1992 Albertville Games when Swiss skier Nicolas Bochatay crashed. This accident, along with numerous other serious injuries in the sport, caused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to renounce. 

A lack of widespread participation also stood against making Speed Skiing an Olympic event. The limited number and access to the venues didn’t help either and the spectator appeal was quite limited compared to other downhill events. It was essentially a straight line, without the turns and jumps making it visually entertaining for mass audiences. 

At the end of the day, the extreme danger, limited global participation, and specialized venue requirements ultimately led the IOC to decide against including Speed Skiing as a permanent Olympic discipline, despite its thrilling nature for some. 

So if in spite of all these considerations, this side of skiing still attracts you, and you’re a young speed demon with strength and balance galore, why not challenge this record? You only need guts, time and money and you should be all set. Good luck!