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.

In the Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games, Janica Kostelic was to become the first woman to win four alpine skiing medals at the same Games, and her three golds were also an unprecedented achievement in the sport.

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.