Spectacular ski cross makes Olympic debut (Feature)

By Barry Whelan Jan 27, 2010, 5:04 GMT

Berlin - Ski cross, the only new sport at the 2010 Winter Olympics, has all the ingredients to attract a big following.

Described as a winter version of BMX motocross, which made its debut at the Beijing Olympics, the hybrid of downhill and freestyle skiing promises plenty of thrills and spills. Ski cross features four (at Olympics and World Cup events) to six skiers racing simultaneously down the slope as they navigate a series of man-made and natural jumps, turns and moguls.

The fastest two skiers to complete the course advance to the next round. The heats are followed by knockout rounds down to the final and small final rounds to determine the top eight places.

Skill, strength and stamina are required - as well as helmets and body padding to reduce the risk of injury in the inevitable collisions and crashes.

That's thought likely to be as exciting and attractive to TV viewers as to the spectators seeing the bumps and bruises first hand at the Cypress Mountain snowboarding and freestyle venue overlooking Vancouver.

'Ski cross is a high adrenaline sport not only for the athletes, but for the viewers as well,' says Canada Ski Cross.

'This combination of terrain and format are guaranteed to produce epic thrills and spills making ski cross the perfect spectator sport and a full-on thrill ride for all involved.'

Joe Fitzgerald, freestyle coordinator for the International Ski Federation (FIS), said: 'It's alpine skiers on a snowboard cross course, doing freestyle skills. It's the ultimate crossover between alpine, freestyle and snowboard.'

The sport's debut is part of an eight-year project to continue re- invigorating freestyle skiing. 'We can't wait to put on a great show in Vancouver in 2010,' he said.