The old men of the mountains

Agence zoom/Getty Images of Swiss Downhiller Didier Cuche, the favorite.

Vancouver, British Columbia

Didier Cuche is an Olympic seniors at 35 years old, so you could assume that its event is curling. But rather than push a stone over the ice Saturday, is Mr Cuche (moving race weather isn't) an icy slope at 80 miles per hour as the gold medal favourites in the men's downhill competition down are careening.

The Swiss Alpine skier is good - and aging - company. In 1980 average 12 finishers in the Olympic downhill event a young 23.6 year. This year's top 12 men skiers are very old comparison: 29.9 years.

"It has become an event that is all about experience", said Phil Mahre that in 1980 and 1984 won gold and silver in the slalom at the Olympic Games. "And it is much more technical than it has ever been."

Despite his reckless abandon since events Alpine downhill friendlier for expert skiers than other always. That turns in slalom and giant slalom to aging knees in ways not wear the bomb-and-tuck style from the exit. So it is not surprising that it at this year's slalom and giant slalom skiers are younger than you downhill team-mates almost 2½ years.

But changes in the nature of competitive skiing and progress in the ski technology make the downhill race still more a port for the Veterans of the world's most famous downhills. Running these new factors: Less training is chemicals, harder and faster than ever before and is a new generation of dramatic curved slalom ski snow making. It is hardly surprising that the Venerable Mr Cuche is a favorite for the gold. He turned in the fastest training run Wednesday before the run for fog was canceled. (He was disqualified in Monday's training run for missing a gate.) He is connected on the list of skiers, are expected to do well by two other relative Oldtimer, Austrian Michael Walchhofer, which is 34 and American Bode Miller, of 32. Liechtenstein Marco Büchel is 38.

Of course younger skiers have nowhere to shock the Olympic Games before, especially American Bill Johnson, come from the departure at the age of 23 gold took in 1984 in Sarajevo. But skiing is unique among the ski disciplines that change its courses from year to year. In the slalom, giant slalom and super giant slalom, which is known as SuperG, the course itself changes depending how set the goals up race Manager ski athletes. Downhill skiers race after down essentially the same course year for year, whether at Colorado's Beaver Creek Vail Resorts or Europe's legendary downhill runs, e.g. Wengen Switzerland, or Kitzbühel, Austria.

Reuters Austrian Michael Walchhofer, above, and Bode Miller on the top of the downhill stretch Wednesday, below.EPA

Ever more often you below trusts a course, race, the more you with what skiers call "Line" the climb, the direct route from top to bottom. Skiers with the greatest familiarity of the line know to make high speed adjustments you need as you the treacherous curves and jumps of a typical race approach.

"There is no way to for these great events except to been there before", said Mr. Miller. "If I come in and hard race it on whether I make tactical decisions can make error-free down."

What is more difficult for young Downhillers the now common practice of injecting a course with water, to ensure that the passion for all competitors race remains consistent throughout the day. Come up with that consistency icy hard and instantaneous conditions to put a premium decisions of instinct and experience on fractions of a second. "It is the judgment factor", said John McMurtry, alpine coaches for the US ski team. "And it takes years to develop the judgment."

Especially now. Mr Mahre said that when he was on the World Cup circuit, organizers competitors to four or five practice runs in place before the actual race would allow. Now, in part, because the World Cup circuit contains more events that runs training back to only one reduced been or two for each race downhill.

"Could be used, you 15 or 20 running a course within a few years," said Mr Mahre. "Now will it you get to this level 10 years to take."

For many younger skiers though, those years are wasted. Instead, use to win the sharp reflexes and fast-twitch muscles of their youth, slalom and giant slalom events that require a series of jagged rotates through gates. Because this physical benefits begin deteriorated in their midst until the late of 1920s, begin aging skiers in the direction of the speed events, gravitate as departure.

Since the 1990s, skiers have used slalom, skis that are shaped like a parabolic arc - skinny in the Centre and widening toward the tips. While the shape makes it easier to carve out quick turns the slalom skis put enormous torque on the knee and lower leg, part of body injured over skiers age.

"I've seen people hit from their tibia and glass tires only go through a turn" said Picabo Street, the silver medal in the Olympic Downhill in 1994.

American Bode Miller Alpine skiers first broke slalom racer from New Hampshire on the Ski World Cup circuit in 1997 as a top. His first World Cup victory was downhill, but not until 2004, come, when he was 27 years old. This year will be considered departure and SuperG of his best shots on the podium, although it a contender in the downhill slalom combination known can be event as super combined.

Racing with Mr. Miller grew up Brandon Dyksterhouse and head Alpine coach at Green Mountain Valley School in Vermont, some of the best young skiers of the country said trains, Mr. Miller is happy, is now made it in this phase of his career without blown itself into pieces. "If you hang your body can without breaking apart, there is no reason, you can remain competitive until you are 40."

Write toMatthew Futterman on matthew.futterman@wsj.com

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