Section 1: Introduction
1.1 Overview and History
Freestyle skiing encompasses multiple acrobatic ski disciplines governed by FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) under ICR Book V — Freestyle Skiing. The sport originated in the 1960s as "hotdogging" — exhibition skiing combining mogul runs, ballet, and aerials. It gained Olympic recognition gradually: Moguls debuted as a medal sport in 1992 (Albertville), Aerials in 1994 (Lillehammer), Ski Cross in 2010 (Vancouver), and both Halfpipe and Slopestyle in 2014 (Sochi).
1.2 Olympic Disciplines
The current Olympic programme includes five freestyle skiing disciplines, each with men's and women's events:
- Moguls: Technical bump skiing with two aerial jumps and a timed speed component.
- Aerials: Acrobatic jumping from snow-built kickers, performing somersaults and twists before landing.
- Ski Cross (SX): Head-to-head racing over a course featuring jumps, banked turns, and rollers.
- Ski Halfpipe: Athletes perform tricks on the walls of a carved halfpipe.
- Ski Slopestyle: Athletes navigate a course of rails, boxes, and jumps, choosing their own line.
1.3 Competition Calendar
FIS oversees the World Cup circuit (November–March), World Championships (biennial), and Olympic Games (quadrennial). Continental cups, NorAm Cup, Europa Cup, and national championships form the lower tiers of the competitive pyramid. FIS points determine athlete rankings and Olympic qualification quotas.
1.4 Mixed Team Events
FIS has introduced mixed team events in Aerials and Ski Cross at the World Championship and Olympic level. In mixed team Aerials, a team of three athletes (at least one of each gender) each performs one jump; scores are combined for a team total. In mixed team Ski Cross, teams of two (one male, one female) race in relay format. These events appear alongside the individual programmes and carry separate medals.
Section 2: Equipment
2.1 Skis
- Moguls: Minimum 180 cm (70.9 in) for men, 170 cm (66.9 in) for women. Narrow-waisted, soft-flex skis designed for rapid bump absorption and quick edge-to-edge transitions.
- Aerials: Minimum 160 cm (63.0 in). Shorter, wider skis that provide stability during takeoff and landing. Aerials skis have limited sidecut since carving is not required.
- Slopestyle / Halfpipe: Minimum 160 cm (63.0 in). Twin-tip design (upturned tail) for switch (backward) skiing. Center-mounted bindings for balanced rotation.
- Ski Cross: Minimum 170 cm (66.9 in) for men, 160 cm (63.0 in) for women. Stiffer, race-oriented skis with more sidecut for high-speed carved turns.
All skis must have functioning release bindings certified to DIN/ISO standards. Bindings must be set according to the athlete's weight, ability level, and discipline.
2.2 Protective Equipment
- Helmet: FIS-approved helmet mandatory in all five disciplines. Must conform to EN 1077 (Class A for race events, Class B minimum for park events) or equivalent ASTM standard.
- Back protector: Mandatory for Aerials, Ski Cross, and Halfpipe at World Cup level. Strongly recommended for all disciplines. Must meet EN 1621-2 standard.
- Shin guards: Mandatory for Slopestyle to protect against rail impacts.
- Goggles: Impact-rated ski goggles required. Must not impair peripheral vision.
2.3 Poles and Accessories
- Poles: Mandatory for Moguls (used for balance and rhythm). Optional for other disciplines. Exposed sharp points are prohibited.
- Speed suit: Permitted in Moguls for aerodynamic advantage. Must not incorporate rigid fairings or non-textile panels.
Section 3: Playing Area
3.1 Moguls Course
- Length: 220–270 m (722–886 ft).
- Width: Minimum 18 m (59 ft). The course is carved into natural or machine-built mogul bumps approximately 1.2 m (4 ft) apart trough-to-trough.
- Gradient: 26–32 degrees. A consistent pitch ensures uniform bump formation.
- Air sites: Two kicker jumps positioned on the upper and lower thirds of the course. Kicker table height approximately 1.0–1.5 m (3.3–4.9 ft), with a landing slope that matches the hill gradient.
- Timing: An electronic timing system records the athlete's run time from start wand to finish wand.
3.2 Aerials Site
- Kickers: Three snow-built jump ramps with table heights of 2.0 m (6.6 ft), 3.2 m (10.5 ft), and 3.8 m (12.5 ft). The 3.8 m kicker is used for triple somersault dives.
- In-run: A steep, groomed in-run track approximately 60–70 m (197–230 ft) long, allowing athletes to reach takeoff speeds of 55–65 km/h (34–40 mph).
- Landing hill: Approximately 38-degree pitch, covered with soft, groomed snow. The knoll (steepest section) must begin immediately after the kicker lip to match the athlete's trajectory.
- Water ramp: Used in summer training. Athletes land in an aerated pool after jumping from artificial kickers. The pool is typically 15 m (49 ft) long, 10 m (33 ft) wide, and 3.5 m (11.5 ft) deep.
3.3 Halfpipe
- Length: Minimum 150 m (492 ft).
- Width: 19–22 m (62–72 ft) from lip to lip.
- Wall height: 6.0–7.0 m (19.7–23.0 ft), commonly referred to as a "22-foot superpipe" (measured as the vertical height of the transition wall).
- Gradient: 17.5–18.5 degrees along the pipe's longitudinal axis.
3.4 Slopestyle Course
- Length: Minimum 400 m (1,312 ft).
- Width: Minimum 30 m (98 ft).
- Features: 6–9 features arranged in sections — typically a jib section (rails, boxes, wall rides) followed by a jump section (2–3 progressively larger jumps with gap distances of 10–25 m / 33–82 ft).
3.5 Ski Cross Course
- Length: 800–1,200 m (2,625–3,937 ft).
- Vertical drop: 130–250 m (427–820 ft).
- Features: Banked turns (berms), rollers, step-ups, step-downs, and tabletop jumps. Course design must allow 4 athletes to race side-by-side at all points.
- Gates: Blue and red directional gates mark the racing line. Missing a gate results in disqualification.
Section 4: Players & Officials
4.1 Competitors
- Moguls and Aerials: Individual competition. Field sizes typically 20–30 athletes per gender.
- Halfpipe and Slopestyle: Individual runs. Qualification rounds narrow the field to 12 finalists.
- Ski Cross: Head-to-head heats with 4 athletes per heat. A timed qualification run seeds the bracket.
4.2 Judging Panels
- Moguls: 7 judges total — 5 turns judges (high and low dropped, 3 counting) and 2 air judges (scores averaged). A pace time system independently calculates the speed score.
- Aerials: 5 judges score each jump. High and low are dropped; 3 counting scores are summed and multiplied by the DD.
- Halfpipe / Slopestyle: 6 judges use an overall impression scale (0–100). High and low are dropped; 4 counting scores are averaged.
- Ski Cross: No judges — first to finish wins. Photo-finish timing determines placement.
4.3 Officials
A Technical Delegate (TD) appointed by FIS oversees course certification, equipment checks, and rule enforcement. A Chief of Competition manages race-day logistics. Start referees, gate judges (Ski Cross), and video review officials support the competition jury.
Section 5: Rules of Play
5.1 Moguls Format
Qualification: two runs, best score counts. Top 20 advance to the final round. Final 1: one run, top 12 advance. Super Final: one run, winner determined. Athletes must perform two distinct aerial maneuvers on the designated kicker sites. Turns are assessed for fall line discipline, carving technique, and consistent absorption of bumps.
5.2 Aerials Format
Qualification: 2 jumps, best score counts. Top 12 advance. Final 1: 2 jumps, combined score. Top 6 advance to the Super Final. Super Final: 1 jump determines the winner. Athletes submit their intended dives in advance, including the number of somersaults, twists, and body position. The degree of difficulty (DD) ranges from approximately 2.1 (single somersault) to 5.0+ (triple somersault with multiple twists).
5.3 Halfpipe Format
Qualification: best of 2 runs. Top 12 advance to the final. Final: best of 3 runs counts as the athlete's score. A typical run includes 5–7 "hits" (tricks performed on the pipe walls). Judges reward amplitude (height above the lip), difficulty of rotation and flips, variety of tricks, execution quality, and progression (innovation or increased difficulty during the run).
5.4 Slopestyle Format
Qualification: best of 2 runs. Top 12 advance. Final: best of 3 runs. Athletes choose their own line through the course features, selecting which rails or boxes to hit and which side of jumps to approach. Judges evaluate difficulty, execution, variety, amplitude, style, and use of the course.
5.5 Ski Cross Format
A timed solo qualification run determines seedings. Athletes are then placed in a bracket of 4-person heats. In each heat, the top 2 finishers advance. This elimination continues through quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. Contact is permitted but intentional pushing, pulling, or blocking results in disqualification. Crashes are part of the sport — athletes who fall may still advance if they cross the finish line in an advancing position.
Section 6: Scoring
6.1 Moguls Scoring Breakdown
- Turns (60%): Maximum 60.00 points. Judges assess fall-line skiing, edge control, body position, consistent rhythm, and speed maintenance through the bumps.
- Air (20%): Maximum 20.00 points. Two air judges score each of the two jumps on execution (form, landing) multiplied by the jump's DD. The two jump scores are summed.
- Speed (20%): Maximum 20.00 points. A pace time is set; athletes receive more points the faster they complete the course relative to the pace time.
6.2 Aerials Scoring
Five judges each score 0–10 (in 0.1 increments) on air (takeoff angle, height), form (body position, symmetry, tightness), and landing (balance, absorption, cleanness). High and low scores are dropped; 3 remaining are summed and multiplied by the DD. Example: scores of 8.5, 8.0, 8.5, 7.5, 8.0 → drop 8.5 and 7.5 → 8.0 + 8.5 + 8.0 = 24.5 × DD 3.525 = 86.36 points.
6.3 Halfpipe and Slopestyle Scoring
Six judges score each run on an overall impression basis from 0 to 100. The highest and lowest scores are dropped; the remaining four are averaged. Key scoring criteria: amplitude, difficulty, variety, execution, and progression. Falls result in significant deductions but do not automatically zero the score if the majority of the run was completed.
6.4 Ski Cross Scoring
No scoring system — placement is determined by finish order. Timing to 1/1,000th of a second is used for the qualification run and to resolve any photo-finish disputes in heats. The only judgment is by gate judges and video review officials who assess potential rule violations.
6.5 Tiebreaking
In judged disciplines (Moguls, Aerials, Halfpipe, Slopestyle), ties are broken by comparing the second-best run score, then the third-best, and so on. In Ski Cross, if two athletes cross the finish line simultaneously (per photo finish), the higher-seeded athlete advances. In overall World Cup standings, head-to-head results break ties.
6.6 World Cup Points
FIS World Cup points are awarded based on finishing position: 1st = 100 pts, 2nd = 80 pts, 3rd = 60 pts, scaling down to 30th = 1 pt. Points accumulate across the season to determine the discipline-specific and overall World Cup standings. The Overall Freestyle Skiing World Cup globe considers results across all five disciplines.
Section 7: Violations & Penalties
7.1 Ski Cross Penalties
- Yellow card: Warning for minor contact or course-cutting that did not materially affect another athlete's result. No immediate disqualification, but accumulation of yellow cards across the season can lead to suspensions.
- Red card: Disqualification from the heat for intentional pushing, pulling, blocking, or dangerous riding that endangers another athlete. The athlete is ranked last in the heat.
- Gate miss: Missing a gate in Ski Cross results in disqualification from that heat.
7.2 Aerials Penalties
- Performing a dive that differs from the submitted dive sheet: the actual DD (typically lower) is applied to the scores.
- Exceeding the declared DD without prior notification: scoring may be adjusted downward by the jury.
- Dangerous landing (e.g., landing on the head or back): the jump is scored 0 for safety reasons.
7.3 Equipment Non-Compliance
Athletes whose equipment fails pre-competition inspection (skis too short, bindings not certified, helmet non-compliant) are not permitted to start until the issue is corrected. If discovered after the run, the result may be disqualified.
7.4 General Infractions
- Failure to appear at the start within the allotted time: DNS (Did Not Start).
- Unsportsmanlike conduct or verbal abuse toward officials: yellow card or disqualification.
- Doping violations: handled per FIS Anti-Doping Rules and WADA Code.
Section 8: Safety Considerations
8.1 Course Preparation
All competition venues must be inspected and certified by the FIS Technical Delegate before the first training run. Landing areas require minimum snow depth (typically 1.0–1.5 m / 3.3–4.9 ft of packed snow) to ensure safe impact absorption. Course features are hand-shaped and machine-groomed, with measurements verified against FIS specifications.
8.2 Wind and Weather Limits
- Aerials: Maximum sustained wind speed 4 m/s (9 mph) at kicker height. Gusting conditions may lead to competition hold or cancellation.
- Moguls: Maximum 8 m/s (18 mph). Visibility must allow athletes to see the full course from the start.
- Halfpipe / Slopestyle: Maximum 8 m/s (18 mph). Wind affects amplitude and landing safety on exposed features.
- Ski Cross: Maximum 12 m/s (27 mph). Higher tolerance due to the racing nature, but visibility must remain adequate for safe racing at speed.
8.3 Medical Requirements
- A medical team with stretcher and toboggan access must be stationed at every jump, kicker, or feature location.
- An ambulance must be on-site with a clear evacuation route to the nearest hospital.
- For Aerials, an airbag landing system must be available during official training sessions for athletes attempting new or high-difficulty maneuvers.
8.4 Athlete Responsibility
Athletes are responsible for inspecting the course during the official inspection period. By starting, an athlete accepts that the course conditions are safe. Athletes are encouraged to report any hazardous conditions (ice patches, exposed rocks, damaged features) to the jury before competition begins.
8.5 Concussion Protocol
FIS follows a standardized concussion management protocol. Any athlete suspected of concussion (loss of consciousness, disorientation, balance problems, or visible distress after impact) must be immediately removed from competition and evaluated by the event medical team using the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT). An athlete diagnosed with concussion may not return to competition until cleared by a physician, with a minimum 24-hour rest period before beginning a graduated return-to-sport protocol.
8.6 Night and Artificial-Light Events
- Moguls and Aerials events may be held under artificial lighting for broadcast purposes. Lighting must provide minimum 1,200 lux across the competition area with no dark zones or glare on the snow surface.
- Athletes must have the opportunity to train under artificial lighting before competing in night events.
- Emergency lighting (backup generators) must be available in case of primary power failure during a night event.
8.7 Anti-Doping
FIS enforces anti-doping rules in accordance with the WADA Code. In-competition and out-of-competition testing is conducted at all World Cup, World Championship, and Olympic events. Athletes in the FIS Registered Testing Pool must provide whereabouts information. Violations result in provisional suspension, hearing, and potential multi-year bans.
