Downhill is considered the premier discipline and is the longest and, after the slalom, second-oldest alpine skiing competition. Since its inception in 1967, Downhill has been an integral part of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup.

Mikaela Shiffrin's record of 100 wins makes her, statistically, the most successful skier in Alpine Ski World Cup history.

Leading the group of top male skiers in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is Marcel Hirscher, a record-holder with eight Overall Crystal Globes. Ingemar Stenmark held the record for the greatest number of 86 World Cup wins. Marco Odermatt, Alexis Pinturault, along with Aleksander Aadmot Kilde and Hirscher, round out the group of active skiers in this elite selection.

Leading the group of top female skiers in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is Mikaela Shiffrin, a record-holder with more than 100 victories. Federica Brignone and Lara Gut-Behrami, along with Lindsey Vonn, round out the group of active skiers in this elite selection.

The highlight of the 2024-2025 winter season will be the Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm.

Marcel Hirscher has repeatedly been acknowledged as one of the greatest Austrian athletes, even beyond skiing.

Mikaela Shiffrin has won 14 Alpine World Ski Championship medals in 17 starts: seven golds, four silvers, and three bronze medals.

Annemarie Moser-Pröll is a former World Cup Alpine ski racer from Austria and the most successful female alpine ski racer during the 1970s

Gustav Thöni was the dominant skier in the technical events in the early 1970s. He won seven World Championship medals between 1972 and 1976

Janica Kostelić is a four-time Olympic gold medalist. The Croatian also won five gold medals at the Alpine Skiing World Championships.

Winner of two Alpine Ski World Cup Overall titles (1978, 1980), Hanni Wenzel has also won nine medals at the Alpine World Ski Championships

Ingemar Stenmark is widely regarded as the most successful Alpine skier ever. He won 7 medals at the Alpine Skiing World Championships.

Pirmin Zurbriggen is one of the most successful ski racers ever. He won 9 Alpine World Ski Championship medals (4 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze).

Pernilla Wiberg is one of the most successful alpine ski racers of the 1990s having won 2 Olympic and 4 Championships gold medals

Ted Ligety is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. His 5 World Cup titles put him among the three greatest Giant Slalom skiers of all time

Marc Girardelli is a five-time Alpine Ski World Cup overall champion and eleven Alpine World Ski Championship medalist

With 4 medals at the Olympics and 4 gold medals at the Alpine Ski World Championships, Tina Maze is one of the greatest skiers of all time

Erika Hess won 6 World Championship gold medals between 1982 and 1987 and took bronze in the Slalom at the 1980 Winter Olympics at age 17.

Aksel Lund Svindal is a Norwegian alpine ski Olympic gold medalist and a 5-time World Champion in Downhill, Giant Slalom, and Combined

Anja Pärson is an Olympic gold medalist, 7-time gold medalist at the World Championships, and 2-time overall Alpine Ski World Cup champion.