Winter Olympic Preview: Ski Jumping

History

Ski jumping originated in Norway,  and was automatically added to the Winter Olympics in 1924. The men’s individual large hill was the first event introduced, with the men’s individual normal hill (1964) and men’s team large hill (1988) events added later. For the first time ever, a fourth event has been added for the 2014 Winter Olympics. In 2011, the International Olympic Committee accepted women’s normal hill ski jumping into the 2014 Winter Olympic program.

Events

Men’s individual normal and large hill, men’s team (large hill), and women’s normal hill.

Venue: RusSki Gorki Ski Jumping Center

The ski jumping events will be held at the “RusSki Gorki” Jumping Center, located in Esto-Sadok village. The jumping center is situated on the northern ridge of the Aibga Ridge, international experts chose this location in attempt to protect the jumpers from side winds. The new complex has a capacity of 7, 500, and features the most recent Olympic K-95 and K-125 jumps.

The Top Story

Japan’s Sara Takanashi is aiming to continue her success in Women’s ski jumping. With the event making its first appearance at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Takanashi is heavily favored to win the gold medal. The 17-year-old was a gold medalist in the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics, and recently won the 2012-2013 International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup. With all of her accomplishments in recent years, Takanashi is expected to continue her rise to fame.

Five Names To Remember

1. Kamil Stoch (Poland) - Poland’s Kamil Stoch won the last World Cup ski jump event before the Winter Olympics, and is currently atop the leaderboard. The 26-year-old has registered 921 points, and won gold in the large hill event at the 2013 FIS World Ski Championships.

2. Peter Prevc (Slovenia) -  Peter Prevc won two medals during the 2013 World Ski Championships. The 21-year-old finished with a silver medal in large hill, and a bronze medal during the normal hill event. Prevc was recently named the Slovenian Athlete of the Year, and has recorded two first place finishes during the 2013-2014 season.

3. Simon Ammann (Switzerland) - Simon Ammann is known as an Olympic Legend, winning four gold medals during the Winter Olympics. Ammann won gold in the normal and large hill events at the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics, becoming the first male to win gold medals in both individual events at two Winter Olympics. The 32-year-old is currently sixth in overall standings, with 614 points.

4. Sara Takanashi (Japan) - Sara Takanashi has completely taken over women’s ski jumping. The 17-year-old has 19 World Cup victories, and has won 17 individual World Cup events. Takanashi has won ten individual events during the 2013-2014 season, recording 1,220 points.

5. Sarah Hendrickson (United States) - Sarah Henrickson recently recovered from a torn ACL and MCL in her right knee, and is looking to make an impact in Sochi. The 19-year-old won the World Cup Ski Championship during the 2011-2012 season, and has registered 13 World Cup victories.

Three Terms You Need To Know

1. Calculation Point: Also referred to as K-point, the calculation point is the spot on the hill where the athletes aim to land. Points are awarded for landing on the K-point, and an athlete may receive extra points for landing beyond the point.

2. Normal Hill: Normal Hills are known as K-90, for their calculation point of 90 meters. The normal hill has a hill size of 105 meters, although jump distances of approximately 110 meters can be achieved. The hill size includes the radius, angle of the slope, and expected distance.

3. Large Hill: Large Hills are also known as K-120, and have a calculation point of 120 meters. The hill size of large hills is 140 meters, but athletes are known to reach jumps of approximately 145 meters or more. The large hills are steeper than normal hills, allowing participants to soar higher and achieve a longer jump.

Previews for each individual event below.