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Ski jumping, like cross country skiing and
Nordic combined is one of the Nordic winter sports disciplines and has ancient
roots.
The technical evolution of ski jumping has proceeded alongside the changes
in ski jump ramps and jumpers are constantly in search of new aerodynamic
positions, in the run up and in flight.
Following is a short history of ski jumping. |
About A.D. 1500:
The first to practise ski jumping were the soldiers of the Scandinavian
countries (Norway, Sweden and Finland), who were trained in the use of skis
in all situations. At the time, they used faggots piles at the bottom of
a slope and the landing was always on flat land.
1830: In this period, after
the abolition of the military ski squads, ski jumping starts spreading among
farmers too, who preferred it to cross-country skiing, although the actual
sports discipline was introduced many years later.
1800: The first ski jump ramps
were built.
1892: The Holmenkollen ramp
was built in replacement of the smaller one at Hnsehy (both locations are
in Norway).
1919: The first documented
official record of 23 metres.
1924: Ski jumping becomes
an Olympic sports discipline, following the creation of the F.I.S. (International
Skiing Federation).
1924: At the first Winter
Olympics at Chamonix (Francia) only ski jumping and cross-country skiing
events were held.
1936: Thanks to the technical
improvements to ski jump ramps, ski jumping is increasingly successful and
the Austrian jumper Sepp Bradl is the first to go beyong 100 metres at Planica
(Slovenia). That same year, the International Skiing Federation fixes the
critical point (K point) at 80 metres, as a measure to safeguard the athletes’
safety, thus excluding some of the existing ramps.
1964: World records in this
discipline continue to improve and the Italian jumper Nilo Zandanel reaches
144 metres at Oberstdorf, setting a new World record.
1970: Women too start practising
this sport and the last woman to become a celebrity in the discipline was
Anita Ward, who in the 70s set the World record for women at 96 metres.
1972: The International Skiing
Federation decided to validate these performances and to readmit giant ramps.
The discipline is thus divided into two events: K120 and K90, both of which
are Olympic events. |
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Sport
:
Ski Jumping
