Ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics here is our insider's guide to the 15 disciplines that will be contested in Sochi.
Alpine Skiing
Contested over five different events: downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super-G and super combined. While downhill sees skiers race in a straight speed contest, the rest incorporate some element of tactics and agility, with gates spaced closer together to test balance and technique to varying degrees. Most of those competing in Sochi head into the Olympics with plenty of action under their belt as they are midway through the FIS World Cup season.
Biathlon
A mixture of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, the biathlon is a gruelling event. Covering distances of up to 20km, it requires extreme fitness, while shooting prowess is also necessary. Individual races, sprints, pursuits, a mass start race and relay and a mixed relay all feature on the Sochi 2014 programme.
Bobsleigh
Fast descents on ice tracks make this event one of the most entertaining at the Winter Olympics, with two-man, four-man and two-woman competitions taking place. Shifting bodyweight is crucial for athletes as they hurtle around corners on the 1.5km course at high speed.
Cross-Country
An ever-present in some form at the Winter Olympics ever since the first Games in 1924, six different types of events will test competitors in Russia this time around. Individual races and mass start events will be joined by the skiathlon, relay and individual and team sprints. Traditional powerhouses Norway will once again be expected to do well.
Curling
Played between two teams of four players each, competitors aim to get a stone – weighing almost 20kg – into a circular target known as the 'house'. With the aim of getting the stone closer to the house than the opposition, it has been described as similar to lawn bowls being played on ice.
Figure Skating
Set to music, figure skaters are judged on the choreography and technical proficiency of their routines. The oldest discipline to feature at the Winter Olympics includes individual events, pairs events, ice dancing and for the first time this year, team events.
Freestyle Skiing
Ski halfpipe and ski slopestyle will make their Olympic debut in Sochi, taking the list of events within the freestyle skiing discipline to five. They join mogul, aerials and ski cross events in one of the more eye-catching inclusions on the agenda, with the discipline sure to attract plenty of attention due to the technical flips, twists and jumps.
Ice Hockey
Played on an ice rink, two teams of six players attempt to score more goals than the other, hitting a rubber puck into a small, guarded net. Players wear helmets, chest pads, elbow pads, shin guards and protective gloves in what can be a high-action and often physical sport. Competitions at the Olympics include both men's and women's tournaments.
Luge
Considered one of the most dangerous Winter Olympic sports, luge sees competitors take to an artificially frozen track on one or two-person sledges. They slide at high speeds – sometimes reaching over 140 kilometres per hour – and use their body to turn around corners. Singles men, singles women and doubles events are contested. Georgian Nodar Kumaritashvili died while participating in the luge at the 2010 Winter Olympics after suffering a fatal crash during a training run.
Nordic Combined
This event combines ski jumping with a cross-country ski race, conducted over 10km. The individual event is contested with a normal hill ski jump, while there is also an individual event featuring a large hill ski jump, as well as a team event. Points are scored for distance and style in the jump section, with competitors then being given a time advantage in the cross-country ski race, where the first across the line wins gold.
Short Track
A type of speed skating that requires athletes to race over a 111.12-metre oval ice track at pace. Events will be raced over 500m, 1000m and 1500m at Sochi 2014, while the women's relay is competed over 3000m and the men's is 5000m. Individual competitions involve 32 skaters in heats of four at a time, with the top two advancing to the next round in what can be highly tactical races.
Skeleton
This exhilarating event sees athletes fly head first down a 1.5km course on a sled with steel runners, with the upper body the only steering assistance they have. Switching body weight is crucial with competitors given four runs to record their best time.
Ski Jumping
With high-backed boots allowing skiers to lean forward during flight, athletes will be measured on how far they can jump in the individual normal hill competition, individual large hill competition and a team event. Athletes on the normal hill can expect to achieve distances of around 105 metres, while the large hill sees jumps of around 140m. Athletes make two jumps, with the highest total score across the two declared the winner.
Snowboard
Despite having only made its debut as recently as 1998 at the Nagano Games, snowboarding has quickly become one of the most popular events at the Winter Olympics. Athletes will take part in the halfpipe, parallel giant slalom, snowboard cross, slopestyle and parallel slalom events, with style, speed and technique all tested.
Speed Skating
Speed skating takes place on 12 of the 18 days at Sochi 2014, meaning that the action will be a near-constant of the 2014 Winter Olympics. In total, 12 medals will be won, with races ranging from 500m to 10,000m in a series of men's, women's and team events.
Contested over five different events: downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super-G and super combined. While downhill sees skiers race in a straight speed contest, the rest incorporate some element of tactics and agility, with gates spaced closer together to test balance and technique to varying degrees. Most of those competing in Sochi head into the Olympics with plenty of action under their belt as they are midway through the FIS World Cup season.
Biathlon
A mixture of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, the biathlon is a gruelling event. Covering distances of up to 20km, it requires extreme fitness, while shooting prowess is also necessary. Individual races, sprints, pursuits, a mass start race and relay and a mixed relay all feature on the Sochi 2014 programme.
Bobsleigh
Fast descents on ice tracks make this event one of the most entertaining at the Winter Olympics, with two-man, four-man and two-woman competitions taking place. Shifting bodyweight is crucial for athletes as they hurtle around corners on the 1.5km course at high speed.
Cross-Country
An ever-present in some form at the Winter Olympics ever since the first Games in 1924, six different types of events will test competitors in Russia this time around. Individual races and mass start events will be joined by the skiathlon, relay and individual and team sprints. Traditional powerhouses Norway will once again be expected to do well.
Curling
Played between two teams of four players each, competitors aim to get a stone – weighing almost 20kg – into a circular target known as the 'house'. With the aim of getting the stone closer to the house than the opposition, it has been described as similar to lawn bowls being played on ice.
Figure Skating
Set to music, figure skaters are judged on the choreography and technical proficiency of their routines. The oldest discipline to feature at the Winter Olympics includes individual events, pairs events, ice dancing and for the first time this year, team events.
Freestyle Skiing
Ski halfpipe and ski slopestyle will make their Olympic debut in Sochi, taking the list of events within the freestyle skiing discipline to five. They join mogul, aerials and ski cross events in one of the more eye-catching inclusions on the agenda, with the discipline sure to attract plenty of attention due to the technical flips, twists and jumps.
Ice Hockey
Played on an ice rink, two teams of six players attempt to score more goals than the other, hitting a rubber puck into a small, guarded net. Players wear helmets, chest pads, elbow pads, shin guards and protective gloves in what can be a high-action and often physical sport. Competitions at the Olympics include both men's and women's tournaments.
Luge
Considered one of the most dangerous Winter Olympic sports, luge sees competitors take to an artificially frozen track on one or two-person sledges. They slide at high speeds – sometimes reaching over 140 kilometres per hour – and use their body to turn around corners. Singles men, singles women and doubles events are contested. Georgian Nodar Kumaritashvili died while participating in the luge at the 2010 Winter Olympics after suffering a fatal crash during a training run.
Nordic Combined
This event combines ski jumping with a cross-country ski race, conducted over 10km. The individual event is contested with a normal hill ski jump, while there is also an individual event featuring a large hill ski jump, as well as a team event. Points are scored for distance and style in the jump section, with competitors then being given a time advantage in the cross-country ski race, where the first across the line wins gold.
Short Track
A type of speed skating that requires athletes to race over a 111.12-metre oval ice track at pace. Events will be raced over 500m, 1000m and 1500m at Sochi 2014, while the women's relay is competed over 3000m and the men's is 5000m. Individual competitions involve 32 skaters in heats of four at a time, with the top two advancing to the next round in what can be highly tactical races.
Skeleton
This exhilarating event sees athletes fly head first down a 1.5km course on a sled with steel runners, with the upper body the only steering assistance they have. Switching body weight is crucial with competitors given four runs to record their best time.
Ski Jumping
With high-backed boots allowing skiers to lean forward during flight, athletes will be measured on how far they can jump in the individual normal hill competition, individual large hill competition and a team event. Athletes on the normal hill can expect to achieve distances of around 105 metres, while the large hill sees jumps of around 140m. Athletes make two jumps, with the highest total score across the two declared the winner.
Snowboard
Despite having only made its debut as recently as 1998 at the Nagano Games, snowboarding has quickly become one of the most popular events at the Winter Olympics. Athletes will take part in the halfpipe, parallel giant slalom, snowboard cross, slopestyle and parallel slalom events, with style, speed and technique all tested.
Speed Skating
Speed skating takes place on 12 of the 18 days at Sochi 2014, meaning that the action will be a near-constant of the 2014 Winter Olympics. In total, 12 medals will be won, with races ranging from 500m to 10,000m in a series of men's, women's and team events.
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