Freestyle skiing

Freestyle skiing was created in the 1960s, during a time of social change and a growing desire for more freedom of expression, even in sports. This led to the development of new and exciting skiing techniques. Freestyle skiing was initially called ‘hotdogging’ because it involved a mix of acrobatic moves, aerials, and adrenaline. The International Ski Federation (FIS) recognised freestyle as a discipline in 1979. The FIS introduced new rules to make it safer, and the following year the first FIS World Cup series took place.

Freestyle skiing made its Olympic debut at the Calgary 1988 Games, with competitions in men's and women's moguls, aerials, and ballet. Four years later, moguls became a medal sport at the Olympic Winter Games Albertville 1992, with aerials receiving the same distinction at the Lillehammer Games in 1994. Ski cross made its Olympic debut at the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010. Slopestyle and halfpipe were added to the programme for 2014 Sochi, with Big Air and mixed team aerials the newest events at the Winter Olympics, having debuted at Beijing 2022. At the Milano Cortina 2026 Games, men's and women's dual moguls will be part of the Olympic programme for the first time.

In moguls, athletes ski down a steep course full of bumps, combining technical turns, jumps, aerial manoeuvres, and speed.

In dual moguls, which will debut at Milano Cortina 2026, two athletes compete against each other on the same track.

In aerials, skiers launch themselves off a ramp and into the air, performing aerial tricks before landing on a 34° to 39° slope about 30 metres long.

Ski cross involves a qualifying phase, where athletes must navigate a slope with artificial elements like jumps, bumps, and parabolic curves as quickly as possible, and an elimination phase where four athletes compete at the same time.

In slopestyle, athletes navigate a course with a variety of obstacles (including rails and various jumps) and are judged on the breadth, originality, and quality of their stunts.

In halfpipe, competitors perform a series of tricks while skiing down a semi-cylindrical slope.

In Big Air, athletes ride down a slope towards a massive ramp, which they use to soar into the air and perform different aerial tricks before sticking the landing.