Alpine ski racing is divided into four basic categories. Those categories are slalom, giant slalom (GS), super giant slalom, and downhill.

     Top of the headwall. Stay back. Breath. Flex. Slide forward with the countdown. The tree line has receded. Noise everywhere and focused silence. The instant before the moment of force, torque. Rock slightly once, then release and lift into the course, clipping the wand.

     There are two races she's been taught. The first is starting gate to gate one and the second gate one to finish. No one starts like she does.

     Then the rest: speed, risk, conditioning, and judgment. Practice and execution. There is the one perfect race in each of us. The existential mind blow. A vision for most, not actually attainable, except for her.