Alpine skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics – Men's downhill

{{Short description|none}}

{{Infobox Olympic event

|event = Men's Downhill

|games = 1988 Winter

|image = Alpine skiing pictogram.svg

|image_size = 80px

|caption = Alpine skiing

|venue = Nakiska,
Kananaskis Village, Alberta, Canada

|date = February 15, 1988

|competitors = 51

|nations = 18

|win_value = 1:59.63

|gold = Pirmin Zurbriggen

|goldNOC = SUI

|silver = Peter Müller

|silverNOC = SUI

|bronze = Franck Piccard

|bronzeNOC = FRA

|prev = 1984

|next = 1992

}}

{{Alpine skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics}}

{{Infobox ski area

|name = Men's Downhill

|picture = Kananaskis-Nakiska Ski.JPG

|caption =

|location = Nakiska

|vertical =    {{convert|874|m|abbr=on}}

|top_elevation = {{convert|2412|m|abbr=on}}  

|base_elevation = {{convert|1538|m|abbr=on}}

|}}

The Men's downhill competition of the Calgary 1988 Olympics was held at the newly-developed Nakiska on Mount Allan on Monday, February 15.{{cite web

| title = Calgary 1988 Official Report

| url = http://library.la84.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1988/orw1988.pdf

| publisher = LA84 Foundation

| work = XV Olympic Winter Games Organizing Committee

| year = 1988

| accessdate = January 3, 2014}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/winter/1988/ASK/mens-downhill.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417200003/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/winter/1988/ASK/mens-downhill.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Alpine Skiing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Games: Men's Downhill |accessdate=22 March 2018 |work=Sports Reference}}

The reigning world champion was Peter Müller, while all-around Pirmin Zurbriggen was the defending World Cup downhill champion, led the current season, and was a medal threat in all five alpine events.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1988/01/27/117042/alpine-skiing-the-swiss-golden-boy-its-conceivable-that-pirmin-zurbriggen-the-big-cheese-on-the-swiss-team-will-win-a-record-five-gold-medals |magazine=Sports Illustrated |last=Johnson |first=William Oscar |title=The Swiss golden boy |date=January 27, 1988 |page=46}}{{cite web

| title = 1987 World Cup standings

| url = http://data.fis-ski.com/alpine-skiing/cup-standings.html?suchen=true&suchcompetitorid=&suchseason=1987&suchgender=M&suchnation=§or=AL&suchcup=WC&discipline=ALL&search=Search

| publisher = FIS

| accessdate = January 3, 2014}}{{cite web

| title = 1987 World Championships results

| url = http://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/results.html?sector=AL&raceid=9367

| publisher = FIS

| accessdate = January 3, 2014}} Defending Olympic champion Bill Johnson did not make the U.S. Olympic team; this was the third of four consecutive Olympics without the defending champion in the field.

The race was postponed a day due to winds that gusted to {{convert|98|mph|abbr=on}} at the exposed summit;{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CgAmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dPwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3980%2C4169553 |work=Nashua Telegraph |location=(New Hampshire) |agency=Associated Press |title=Downhill blown out |date=February 15, 1988 |page=15}} Zurbriggen took the gold and Müller the silver, a half-second behind.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D-hVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7091%2C3477407 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=(Los Angeles Times) |last=Lochner |first=Bob |title=Zurbriggen snatches downhill gold |date=February 16, 1988 |page=3D }} More than a second behind the runner-up was bronze medalist Franck Piccard.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Yj5QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5g0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3232%2C1642527 |newspaper=Toledo Blade |location=(Ohio)|agency=Associated Press |title=Zurbriggen not worrying about gold |date=February 16, 1988 |page=18 }} Leonhard Stock, the 1980 champion, was fourth, but nearly two seconds behind Zurbriggen.

The course started at an elevation of {{convert|2412|m|abbr=on}} above sea level with a vertical drop of {{convert|874|m|abbr=on}} and a course length of {{convert|3.147|km|2|abbr=on}}. Zurbriggen's winning time of 119.63 seconds yielded an average speed of {{convert|94.702|km/h|1|abbr=on}}, with an average vertical descent rate of {{convert|7.306|m/s|1|abbr=on}}.