Winter Olympics Series Episode X - Alpine Skiing and its Superwomen

We bring our Winter Olympics series to a close just in time for the opening ceremony, and finish with the true blue ribbon events of the games - Alpine Skiing, consisting of the Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super-G, Team Combined and, the crème de la crème of the winter games, the Downhill events.

The latter is designed to test the six core components of technique, courage, speed, risk, physical condition and judgement, perhaps none more so than courage. Athletes can reach speeds in excess of 150kph, injury (or worse) is never more than a moments misjudgement away. There is no test in sport like it.

We take a look particularly at the careers of two incredible women: Mikaela Shiffrin, arguably the greatest ever to strap on a pair of skis; and Ester Lede ...