a ski gate is two sticks on a skiing race course that a skier needs to pass between. ski gates are used in alpine skiing in downhill, slalom, giant slalom and super-g races. downhill races have not many ski gates so skiers can be safe when they are going very fast. if a skier does not go between a ski gate, the judges say they are removed from the race. first in the 1980s and now a lot of the time, ski gates have hinges near the snow. some ski gates have flags at the top of the stick.