What Olympic Downhill Skiers Think About When They’re Hurtling 80mph Down a Mountain

2. 'Stop Thinking'

“If you’re thinking, you’ll be super slow,” says World Champion downhill silver medalist Travis Ganong. He was one of America’s top medal prospects coming into the PyeongChang Games before a crash (torn knee ligaments) sidelined him back in December. “Have a good plan going in that way you can turn your brain off and not think about it when you’re going 90mph.” 

Ganong’s teammate Bryce Bennett agrees. Rather than referring to this tunnel vision-like headspace as “the zone” or “flow,” Bennett refers to it as “having one.”

“When this is happening, there’s no time for thought: Your head’s calm, you’re focused, anticipating and reacting to the terrain, snow, and course. Skiing becomes effortless.” 

That said, it’s not always possible to quiet the voices in your head entirely…

3. 'Is My Equipment Dialed in?'

Downhill skiers trust their technicians to fine-tune their skis to the day’s snow conditions—but fear of the unknown is hard to ignore. 

“It’s the only thing you’re subconsciously thinking about,” Ganong says. “If it’s ice, you can go into the turn more aggressively and push into the ski; if the snow is soft, you’ll know the ski won’t react as well.” 

The right (or wrong) pair of boots can make a huge difference, too.

“As a ski racer you have up to 10 pairs of boots,” Bennett says.

Though there’s usually one you gravitate toward after hours of training, he says. It’s in the way the boot flexes, the fit’s dialed in, and if the canting is in a good place to make micro-adjustments. 

Whatever the reason: “Once you’ve acquired this pair, these boots will never leave your possession throughout the season—ever,” Bennett adds.  

4. 'What's Coming Next?'

Downhill skiers are hurtling down a mountain—gates whizzing by at dizzying speeds. There’s a lot to factor in to ensure a speedy but safe race.

“I’m making multiple calculated decisions each second based on speed and conditions,” Goldberg says. “I’m fully in the moment—feeling my skis as they glide over the snow, making sure they’re flat.”

But he’s also preparing for what’s around the next corner, thinking: “Where to start angling my skis to make a turn hundreds of meters away, often over a blind knoll.”  

5. 'Don't Crash'

“Things can go sideways quickly, especially at high speeds, and especially with no safety belt or roll cage,” Bennett says.

Though all race courses are lined with safety netting to keep downhill skiers from flying into the woods, just “imagine jumping out of your car at 80mph while wearing a speed suit with downhill skis locked to your boots,” Bennett says.

The key is not to hesitate.

“Flat light and dark, bumpy conditions can make the ‘I-don’t-want-to-crash’ alarm go off in your head, but it’s critical you don’t back off,” Goldberg adds.

6. 'I'm Piping—What's for Lunch?'

“’Piping it’ means the course is skiing you,” Bennett says.

You have stiff legs and you’re putting in a lot of distance around the gates.

“Basically, you’re sucking,” he adds. It’s not only painful to watch, but chaos can ensue.

When he’s off his game, Bennett’s wondering what’s for lunch. Maybe not the best thing to mull over, but, hey the guy’s honest. 

7. 'Push the Line'

“There’s usually a pretty distinct track where most of the guys go,” Goldberg says. “I’ve always liked to push the line; it’s definitely risky but you can make up time.”  

A downhill skier is always adjusting the line—or driving, as Ganong puts it.

“The course will be bumpy and gnarly,” he says. “If you’re apprehensive going into a bumpy section, you’ll lose your line.” 

8. 'Nail the Tuck'

When skiers are racing downhill, they assume a tuck position: knees bent at 90 degrees, back parallel to the ground, hands forward, head up, weight over the middle of the skis.

“Aerodynamics is a big deal,” Goldberg says. “We spend a lot of time in wind tunnels testing our drag. Every time you open your arms and stand up it’s pushing you back, so finding out which tuck position is the fastest can save you precious time.” 

9. 'Damn—That Jump Was Huge'

Hitting jumps in a downhill race can send athletes into the air for nearly the length of a football field. When their arms start spinning mid-air (“rolling down the windows”) it usually means this bounty of sky time has come as a surprise. 

“It’s an ‘Oh shit’ moment,” Ganong says.

There are always faster speeds and bigger jumps on race day.

10. 'There's the Finish Line!'

“A few hundredths of a second can be a couple meters of length at the finish when you’re going at such high speeds,” Goldberg says. “Crossing the finish line and coming to a stop is like slowly turning the volume up on your radio—the sound of the crowd slowly becomes louder and louder.”