For example, the first slalom contest was held in Switzerland and in the 1920s it became the first Olympic Alpine event. After several years it was presented in the Olympic programme at the Garmish-Partenkirchen Games. It is believed that alpine skiing evolved from cross-country skiing. Beginners use the snow plow as a basic technique, advanced skiers use more complicated methods for elegant and speedy skiing. In recent years, the skiing technique carving became preferred by many adherents of the ski sport. In order to carve, the skiers slide, facing down the hill and rolling only the knees and feet. When followers of ski sport progress and feel more confident, they are able to hit some steeper slopes with uneven terrains and practice disciplines like off-piste skiing at higher speed. Each resort and country have its own rules and marking methods, but there is a general indication system with different colours for the pistes according to the level of difficulty. In North America, the green circle refers to the easiest runs that are comparatively flat and smooth. They are regularly groomed in order to provide appropriate terrain to the beginners. The blue sign is for steeper slopes of medium difficulty, which may not be so well-groomed but left in a natural state. Next in the indication jerarchy comes the black diamond slope, which is steeper and more uneven as terrain than the blue square and often features areas with challenges such as moguls, icy sections or double fall lines. The double black diamond is meant for advanced experts, who can enjoy the steep terrain, rarely groomed, very often left in natural state. Unlike USA, the colour system in Europe is different. Thus, the North American green circle corresponds to the blue one in Europe; the blue signs, black diamonds, and double blacks equal to the European red, black, and yellow ones.

Alpine skiing refers to the main disciplines racing and freestyle. Disciplines such as downhill, as well as slalom, combined, giant slalom (GS) and super giant slalom (Super G) are included in competitions as part of the annual World Cup series, Olympic Games and the World Championships. The combined discipline refers to the event, that features downhill run and two slalom runs in the same time on a single day. There are contests in extreme skiing, which include the disciplines in freestyle skiing such as moguls, aerials, and sometimes halfpipe, slopestyle and etc. The organisation that administers many ski competitions is called FIS (Fdration Internationale de Ski) but there are also various non-FIS competitions, such as ski jumping and extreme skiing contests.