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City and parallel races in Alpine skiing

City and parallel races bring Alpine skiing to compact, specially prepared slopes in or near a city. Two racers compete on adjacent courses and may switch sides after the first run. In traditional slalom, times from individual runs are added together. “City Event” describes a particular venue format rather than a separate Alpine discipline.

Quick facts

  • Parallel races stage direct duels on separate, as-comparable-as-possible courses.
  • A knockout system leads through elimination rounds to the final.
  • Courses are often built on short, specially prepared slopes close to a city.
  • The first Alpine World Cup City Event took place at Munich's Olympic Park in 2011.
  • The 2009 Moscow parallel races were promotional invitation events and did not count toward the World Cup.
  • FIS rules and formats have changed over time.

Head-to-head rather than a time comparison

In a parallel race, two athletes ski separate courses almost at the same time. A mistake or a poor start immediately changes the gap between them. After qualification, direct match-ups determine who advances to the next knockout round. Unlike a regular slalom, in which racers ski individually and their times are added, the excitement comes from watching the side-by-side contest on the course.

Earlier formats often included a side switch to balance differences between the courses. The format has not remained the same in every season. In 2019, the FIS revised the parallel rules, introduced qualification options and set out a knockout structure for the leading qualifiers. Qualification, number of scored runs and side changes depend on the event format.

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From promotional race to World Cup event

The Moscow races in 2009 show why the date matters. The FIS staged parallel races as promotional invitation events on a purpose-built ramp near Lomonosov University. It was not until 2011 that a parallel race was first included in the Alpine World Cup as a City Event, at Munich's Olympic Park. The move from promotional race to World Cup stop changed the sporting status, not just the venue.

City races aim to bring top-level competition closer to an urban audience. A short ramp or slope is covered with snow, giving athletes a compact course. Gradient, run-out and spectator access must fit into a limited space, while course design and a fair comparison remain central. The format belongs to Alpine skiing.

For fans and spectators

The knockout format is easy to follow, but qualification and seeding can vary. The event rules and season regulations apply to each race.

Events in skiing place different competitions in the season calendar. Our winter sports overview provides more context about the disciplines.