For the first time in four years, it’s Winter Olympic season again. From the Opening Ceremonies on February 9th until the last medal events on February 25th, our television screens will be dominated by the constant slew of events. The games are hosted this year by PyeongChang in South Korea. The Winter Olympics include both team and individual sports, some of which are well known and some of which are not. At the PyeongChang games this February, fifteen different sports are included in the lineup. Here are all the different types of events that you can tune into this month:

1. Alpine Skiing

• This fast-paced slalom down the mountainside is a test of daring, control, and skill.
• There will be 6 different types of Alpine skiing for men and women: Downhill, Super-G, Giant Slalom, Slalom, Alpine Combined, and a National Team Event.
• US Athletes to Watch: Bryce Bennett, Steven Nyman, Lindsey Vonn, and Jackie Wiles

2. Biathlon

• Combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting.
• There are 5 events for men and women: the individual, the sprint, the pursuit, the mass start, and the relay. There is also a mixed relay in which half the team is half male and half female.
• US Athletes to Watch: Lowell Bailey, Time Burke, and Susan Dunklee

3. Bobsleigh

• Daring riders take a steerable sled down a pre-made track. The sleds are either four-man bobsleighs, two-man bobsleighs, and women’s bobsleighs.
• There are 3 bobsleigh events: 4-man, 2-man, and women’s.
• US Athletes to Watch: Nick Cunningham, Jamie Greubel Poser, Codie Bascue, Elana Meyers Taylor, and Justin Olsen

4. Cross Country Skiing

• This race of speed across no incline is a true test of endurance. Athletes must ist classic of skate-skiing techniques.
• There are 12 total events; 6 each for men and women including: individual, skiatholon, sprint, team sprint, mass start, and relay.
• US Athletes to Watch: siblings Erik and Sadie Bjornsen, Sophie Cadwell, Andy Newell, Kikkan Randall, and Liz Stephen.

5. Curling

• This team event requires athletes to throw/slide curling stones down the ice while teammates sweep the surface to control the speed and direction of the stone.
• The 2018 games will hand out 3 curling medals: men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles
• Us Athletes to Watch: John Shuster, Nina Roth, and siblings Becca and Matt Hamilton

6. Figure Skating

• One of the most beautiful and graceful sports in the games, figure skaters perform routines to music and are judged on both the difficulty and accuracy of the moves in their performance.
• Five different medals will be given out this year in: men’s and women’s singles skating, pairs skating, ice dancing, and a team event.
• US Athletes to Watch: Nathan Chen, Mirai Nagasu, and Maia and Alex Shibutani

7. Freestyle Skiing

• This high flying, artistic event is often called “the circus on the snow.” Athletes perform mind-blowing acrobatics, flips, and twists.
• Ten different medals in Freestyle will be given out, 5 events for women and 5 events for men including: moguls, aerials, ski cross, ski halfpipe, and ski slopestyle.
• US Athletes to Watch: Maddie Bowman, Ashley Caldwell, Gus Kenworthy, Maggie Voisin, McRae Williams, and David Wise

8. Ice Hockey

• One of the best-known team sports in the games, this team event is widely popular in many countries and includes teams of 20 players and 2 referees.
• Medals will be handed out in both men’s and women’s hockey.
• Route for Team USA is one of the Winter Olympics true all-team events!

9. Luge

• In a small sled, the luger lays down on their back (face up, feet first) and sleds at high speeds down a 1,000 to 1,500 meters track that includes sharp curves
• There are 4 medals handed out in luge: men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and a team relay.
• US Athletes to Watch: Chris Mazdzer, Matt Mortensen with Jayson Terdiman, Tucker West, and Erin Hamlin

10. Nordic Combined

• Like its name suggests, the Nordic Combined combines cross-country skiing with ski jumping into one event.
• This sport includes three events, all for men: the Individual Gunderson NH/10km, the Individual Gunderson LH/10km and the Team Gunderson LH/4x5km
• US Athletes to Watch: Ben Berend, brothers Bryan and Taylor Fletcher, and Ben Loomis

11. Short Track Speed Skating

• The track is 111.12m (exactly!) long in a 60x30m ice rink. It is a true test of speed.
• The 2018 games include 8 events divided evenly between men and women: the 500m, 1,000m, 1,500m and the relay. The men’s relay in 5,000m and the women’s relay is 3,000m.
• US Athletes to Watch: Maame Biney, J.R. Celski, and Jessica Kooreman

12. Skeleton

• This incredibly dangerous event has been in-and-out of the Olympic line-up for years. The athlete hurls down a track of ice on a toboggan at death defying speeds… head first.
• Two medals are awarded, one for men and one for women.
• US Athletes to Watch: Matt Antoine, John Daly, Katie Uhlaender, and Kendall Wesenberg

13. Ski Jumping

• This high-flying sport requires athletes to speed down a slope at 90km/h to launch into the air and travel for distance, all while maintaining the proper posture.
• Events include: men’s and women’s individual on normal hill and men on large hill, plus a team event.
• US Athletes to Watch: Mike Glasder, Sarah Hendrickson, and Will Rhodes

14. Snowboarding

• A sport born out of the United States, snowboarding has been a part of the Olympics since 1998.
• For the first time, 10 medals are handed out in snowboarding divided equally between men and women: parallel giant slalom, halfpipe, snowboard cross, big air, and slopestyle
• US Athletes to Watch: Jamie Anderson, Kelly Clark, Red Gerard, Ryan Stassel, and Chloe Kim

15. Long Track Speed Skating

• Unlike short track the long track is 400m long, but racers still whirl around in a race of speed.
• 12 medals are given out in long track speed skating: men’s and women’s 500m, 1,000m, and 1,500m. There is also a men’s 5,000m and 10,000m. The women’s longer distances are 3,000m and 5,000m. Both men and women also have a mass start race and a team pursuit.
• US Athletes to Watch: Shani Davis, Joey Mantia, and Heather Bergsma.