How Does a Race Suit Affect Speed While Downhill Skiing?

In a sport where the margin of victory is often measured in hundredths of a second, every advantage is important. Specially designed downhill ski suits help racers achieve top speed and shave precious ticks off the clock.

  1. Features

    • Downhill ski suits like the one worn by 2010 Olympic downhill gold medalist Lindsey Vonn are seamless, creating less wind resistance when speeding down a course. New suits are made with a jelly-like substance previously found in soldiers' armor.

    Benefits

    • According to a Fortune Magazine article during the 2010 Winter Olympics, wind tunnel testing showed that new ski suits with small indentations similar to the dimples on a golf ball reduced drag by 1 to 3 percent. In theory, this would give a skier an advantage of one-half to one second in a downhill run versus other suits.

    Considerations

    • The International Ski Federation has strict rules on the material and design of ski suits. In the 1990s, ski clothing maker Spyder introduced a concept called "tripwire" that involved running 1/8-inch wire through the body of the suit to improve the airflow. The design was banned after teams not using it complained that it created 20 percent less drag.