Simon Billy

In March 2023 French speed skier Simon Billy reached 255.5 km/h (about 158.8 mph) on a steep course at Vars in the French Alps, beating Italy's Ivan Origone's 2016 mark of 254.958 km/h. Speed skiers wear aerodynamic suits and helmets and race straight down a steep, specially prepared slope.

Speed skiing records fall every few years when conditions line up at Vars. Re-check before use.

Context

Speed skiing is a niche discipline in which athletes descend a straight, very steep slope with no turns, wearing tight suits and aerodynamic helmets and long skis. The sport's record course is at Vars in the French Alps, where the slope is groomed and the run is timed over a measured section. Skiers reach top speed within seconds of leaving the start gate.

Simon Billy's mark of 255.5 km/h was set in March 2023, edging Ivan Origone's 254.958 km/h from 2016. The difference is only about half a kilometre per hour, showing how tightly the record is contested. Speeds are measured using timing cells at the start and end of the measured section, and the average over that section is the figure that counts.

Wind, snow quality, temperature, and the skier's body position all influence the result, so records tend to be set in only a few runs on the best days of the year. Official records are ratified by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. Because newer athletes are still improving, the mark may change, and this entry carries a note to re-check it.