slalom skiing

	Slalom skiing is more commonly known as downhill skiing.
Slalom skiing consists of skiing down a hill and going "through gates". Gates are the distance between two flags put up on the hill in a zigzag pattern.
	This event is one of the most common skiing events and is the most common to be known by people that do not ski. the slalom event is actually divided into two sections. There is the normal slalom and the giant slalom.
As you can probably figure out, the only difference between the slalom and the giant slalom is that the giant slalom is larger. As the skiier skis down the hill the gates get closer together.

	By placing the gates closer together the skier does not have to turn as often and can thus go faster. At the top the skier starts out of the start gate. when the person goes forward they push a lever forward starting the clock. Then at the end they go through a gate that stops the clock.
Some of the slalom events are extremely long to the point where it takes a professional skier more than a minute to get through all of the gates. However, other courses are short enough to take between 20 and 30 seconds.
	If a skier misses a gate then they are disqualified and their score is not counted. If a skier were to get disqualified and then did not get off the course, they could be fined or kicked out of the resort or the competition.
Slalom skiing is known as the main skiing event, even though it is not the most common. the most common event is freestyle, because like the name says you can do whatever you want.