The Evolution of Safety Standards in Ski Cross

Today’s ski cross is not the same sport it used to be. The high-flying, high-risk days of early X Games-style racing are mostly behind us. In the modern era, ski cross tracks are more calculated, and the era of massive mega booters¹ has given way to safer, more consistent course features. While many factors have driven this shift, the most significant is athlete safety.

Two Swiss and a Canadian athlete in the air after hitting a massive hip jump at the 2012 US Grand Prix at Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, Utah

The Challenge of Course Consistency

Building and maintaining a ski cross course is a complex balancing act, particularly when it involves large jumps. From the completion of a course build to the final heats of a World Cup race series, 6 to 7 days typically pass. Within that window, snow conditions must remain consistent for speeds to be constant — but this is an outdoor winter sport, and predictability is a challenge.

Fluctuating temperatures, fresh snow, rain, sun, or wind can all dramatically alter the snow surface. These changes can affect how fast racers move through the course — not just day to day, but even hour to hour. What is safe in morning inspection may be very different by the time the final heats are underway. Add factors like tight-fitting race suits, high-performance race wax, and drafting into the mix, and the result is a constantly shifting landscape of speed.

Another key factor in course design is the fact that men and women share the same track. Course builders must accommodate the performance range between the fastest male skiers in the world and the slowest women on the World Cup circuit — a gap that, while narrowing, still averages between 7 and 9 seconds depending on the venue. That translates into a significant speed differential, making it especially challenging to design features that are safe for everyone, particularly under variable conditions.

Smarter Features, Safer Racing

This doesn’t mean big jumps have disappeared from the World Cup. They’re still present at some venues — but only when relatively consistent speeds can be assured. Today’s standard track model leans toward medium-sized, well-built features that are more forgiving of the natural speed fluctuations that come with changing conditions.

These improvements in track-building philosophy aren’t limited to the top tier of the sport. Safety-driven design is trickling down to lower-level events as well. Europa Cup and Nor-Am Cup tracks rarely include large features unless they’re taking place on a venue previously used for a World Cup event — and most are not. At these levels, medium-sized jumps and rollers are the norm.

At the youth level, such as in USASA races, we have also seen changes to course design as safety is even more prioritized. Features are generally smaller and more forgiving, and it is now rare to see any jump that requires mandatory air. Most USASA tracks are designed to be welcoming for everyone, from young club athletes to Masters-aged competitors.

Currently, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Ski Cross Subcommittee’s Competition Working Group is developing an initiative to standardize course features and building processes at the Nor-Am and USASA levels. The aim is to establish greater consistency in course design nationwide, ultimately enhancing safety across all events.

Venue Security: Matching Alpine Standards

Safety in ski cross doesn’t stop at course design — it also extends to venue security and on-course protection, which now match the standards seen in elite alpine ski racing. At FIS-sanctioned events, strict access control is enforced across athlete zones, course areas, and finish corrals. Only credentialed personnel such as athletes, coaches, media, and medical staff are permitted near the racecourse, while spectators are kept at a safe distance behind fencing and designated viewing areas. Medical response teams are stationed on-venue and work closely with race officials for rapid intervention during incidents.

On the course itself, layered safety systems are used to protect athletes in the event of crashes. These include B-nets and A-nets — high-tensile netting systems that help decelerate skiers safely after a fall. Air fencing (inflatable barriers) is strategically placed in high-risk zones, particularly where the track runs close to rigid obstacles or spectators, to absorb impact without causing rebound. Additionally, Willy Bags — large padded crash bags — can also be used in areas where collisions with hard surfaces are possible. Together, these elements form a comprehensive barrier system that reduces the severity of crashes and enhances overall athlete protection.

This level of safety infrastructure reflects ski cross’s evolution from an alternative extreme sport to a highly professional, world-class discipline held to the same safety and operational standards as any FIS alpine event.

Footnotes

1. “Mega booters” is slang in freestyle/freeride skiing and snowboarding for very large jumps — often with steep take-offs and extended airtime — that launch athletes high into the air. The term “booter” comes from how the jump “boots” (or throws) a rider upward, and “mega” emphasizes its exaggerated size and risk. These features were more common in early ski cross when the sport leaned heavily into its extreme roots. ↩