[2] Italy's Arianna Follis was the defending world champion in this event which was also held in freestyle technique.

[3] Alena Procházková of Slovakia won the test event that took place at Olympic venue on 16 January 2009.

[4] The last World Cup event prior to the 2010 Games in this format took place on 6 February 2010 in Canmore, Alberta and was won by Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk.

During the warm-up she crashed down a bank, into an unprotected 3 m (9.8 ft) deep gorge and landed on ice and rocks, sustaining five broken ribs and a pneumothorax.

She earned the highest praise from other skiers, staff and the media for her amazing bravery[7][8] as she attended the medal giving ceremony with a tube in her chest to relieve pneumothorax.