I've skiied on a course that's been used for World Cup. They're harder than they look on TV. And if you watched the women's downhill, they were discussing the different lines taken by the various competitors about different corners. Sure, it's a defined course. But it's not that rigidly defined. There are fast lines and slow lines, short ski lines and long ski lines.
It does seem amusing that a board full of road racers and autocrossers are discussing the validity of a defined course. You'd think we were all desert racers or something.
