Olympics Ski Jumping, Events, Updates, Athletes, Teams, Pictures

MAIN Sports Olympic Games Olympic Ski Jumping

Down the ramp at speeds as fast as their skis will take them followed by the launch....then up, up suspended 100 metres above the moutain snow...as they fly through the air with the greatest of ease...

Norway is generally credited for the birth of ski jumping in the mid-19th century. At the time, it began primarily as an amusement at ski carnivals throughout Scandinavia, before taking a serious leap into sport with the first ski jumping contest in Trysil, Norway in 1862.

An official nod was given the sport when the Norwegian royal family organized the "King's Cup" trophy to the winner of the annual ski jumping meet held in Holmenkollen in 1892.

Ski jumping was featured at the first Olympic Winter Games at Chamonix Mont-Blanc in 1924. Throughout most of the 20th century it was the Norwegians who dominated the sport, taking home most of the gold medals from 1924 to 1952.

Today, there are three ski jumping competitions at the Winter Games. The individual normal hill (K-90m) competition debuted at the first Winter Games in Chamonix, and the individual large hill (K-120m) was first seen at the Innsbruck Games in 1964. The team large hill (K-120m) competition was later added at the 1988 Calgary Games.

More about Olympic ski jumping around the Web:

Ski Jumping - Vancouver 2010 - Information on team and individual events, complete venue guide and official schedule, photo gallery.

International Olympic Committee - Ski Jumping - Overview of the ski jumping competitions, list of events, Olympic records, athlete profiles, picture gallery, related links.

FIS Ski - Ski Jumping - The International Federation offering news, rules and regulations, world cup standings, athlete biographies, pictures, Olympic medal winners.

Kiat.net - Olympic Winter Games Ski Jumping - Brief overview and history of ski jumping, list of Olympic records.