slalom
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slalom
A discipline in winter sports (skiing or snowboarding) in which a course marked by gates must be completed in the shortest possible time.
Sie hat die Goldmedaille im Slalom gewonnen.
She won the gold medal in the slalom.
Movement in a zigzag pattern is almost always expressed with the preposition 'im': 'im Slalom fahren' (to ski/drive in a slalom) or 'im Slalom laufen' (to run/walk in a slalom). This applies both to sports and to the figurative meaning.
Der Skifahrer fuhr elegant im Slalom den Hang hinunter.
The skier elegantly skied down the slope in a slalom.
The movement of a slalom is often used figuratively for everyday situations in which you have to avoid obstacles. For example, you can walk in a slalom around puddles, people, or furniture.
Auf dem Weg zur U-Bahn musste ich im Slalom um die vielen Touristen laufen.
On the way to the subway, I had to weave around the many tourists in a slalom.
In the context of skiing, 'Slalom' (slalom) is often combined with the verbs 'fahren' (to ski/ride) and 'gewinnen' (to win). When the course is set up, the verb 'stecken' is used: 'Der Trainer steckt einen Slalom' (the coach sets a slalom course).
Vor dem Rennen stecken die Organisatoren einen schwierigen Slalom.
Before the race, the organizers set a difficult slalom course.
route / distance
'die Strecke' and 'der Slalom' can both mean a course that you complete. 'die Strecke' is general: it can be short or long and can lie between two points. 'der Slalom' is more specific. It refers to a course with gates, poles, or obstacles that you move through in curves while skiing, driving, or running. In winter sports, 'Slalom' is also a discipline of its own. The words can be confused because a slalom can be a type of 'Strecke'. But if you do not mean curves through gates or obstacles, it is better to say 'Strecke'.
Beim Training fährt Lena den Slalom zwischen den roten Stangen.
During training, Lena skis the slalom between the red poles.
Für den Spaziergang wählen wir eine kurze Strecke am Fluss.
For the walk, we choose a short route by the river.