INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed 1.) to establish the differences in the choice of the line of skiing between individual competitors in the World Cup and to determine the distance of their lines of skiing from the pole (fall line), and 2.) to establish whether the competitors with a shorter line of skiing in the pole setting achieve higher velocities, and consequently, faster sliding among the slalom gates, and finally a better result. METHODS: The kinematic measurements were taken during the 2007 Vitranc World Cup slalom competition in Kranjska Gora (18 competitors). In the first step, we calculated the average distance of the line of skiing (trajectory) from the fall line (y = 0) for each individual competitor within the measured space (two gates). The second step was the calculation of the average velocities of the body centre gravity at the first and the second pole. After the kinematic analysis, we calculated the correlations that are shown in the tables 1 and 2. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In the first part of the study we proved that none of the competitors had an extremely short line of skiing in two successive turns. As a rule, the competitors whose lines of skiing were the shortest in the first turn analyzed had the longest lines of skiing in the second turn and vice versa. The shortest line of skiing does not guarantee an optimum entry into a turn, which is also proved by a low and statistically insignificant level of correlation between the distances of the competitors' lines of skiing from the y-axis = 0 at the first and second poles (Table 1; correlation=-0.256). On the basis of these findings, it can be claimed that in the present-day conditions, it is extremely difficult if not impossible, to ski in such a way that the line of skiing would be very short in several successive turns. In the second part of the study, we investigated the correlation between the trajectories of skis and the velocity of skiing of the measured sample. With the calculated correlation we proved a statistically significant correlation (*) (Table 2; correlation=-0.551*) between the average velocity of skiing and the average distance of the length of the line of skiing from the y-axis in the whole measured segment. That means that the competitors whose line of skiing was shorter and more direct skied through the measured segment faster. CONCLUSION: This study therefore seems to be an important contribution to knowledge about and recognition of the correlation between the length of a line of skiing and the velocity of skiing (Bozic B., 2005). The experiment was carried out on the best skiers in the world. The findings may not apply to the youngest skiers or to all skiers, but they certainly represent guidance on the method of work in the area of skiing tactics that leads to top results.
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