Downhill: The granddaddy of speed races, and one of the riskiest events in any sport. Downhills are run over an icy, two mile-long course, with pitches up to 60 degrees and jumps that can keep racers airborne for more than 100 feet. Racers make one run, winner take all. Top speed: about 90 miles per hour.

Super-G: This event, which made its Olympic debut at Calgary in 1988, combines the speed of downhill with the big, smooth arcs of giant slalom. It's held on a mile-and-a-half-long course, with gates set about 155 feet apart. One run only. Top speed: 70 miles per hour.

Giant Slalom: A technical event, GS features wide turns determined by breakaway gates placed 60 to 100 feet apart. The top 30 racers in the first run make the cut for the second. Final results are determined by the combined times from two runs. Top speed: about 40 miles per hour.

Slalom: A technical event in which skiers, protected by plastic body armor, bash through 55 or more breakaway gates set an average of 32 to 50 feet apart on a course one-third of a mile long. As in the GS, the top 30 in the first run move to second run, and the best combined time wins. Top speed: about 35 miles per hour.

Combined: This event—one downhill run followed by two slalom runs, all on the same day—is a great test of versatility and endurance. Final results are determined by adding the total time of all three runs.