Skii Jumping is one of the main events in the 2022 Winter Olympics, less than 20 nations compete for a gold medal and the big favorites are Japan and Austria, but other countries like Slovenia, Germany and Russia are putting up a good fight in the event.
This event is popular because of how easy it is to understand since basically what athletes do is jump from a big ramp (hill) and travel a set distance to try to win a medal competing against other jumpers.
Male competitors have three Skii Jumping events at the 2022 Winter Olympics, while the women have only one event on February 5. It is a sport dominated by men but where women, little by little, have gained space. In addition, there is a mixed event for men and women that also offers the opportunity for other female athletes to compete.
How far do ski jumpers jump?
It depends on the hill, but ski jumpers can cover an average of 300 feet (91.44 meters), but another average distance is 361 feet (110 meters). The hills (ramp) are a determining factor in the distance that a ski jumper can cover, the smallest hill is 45 meters in size and the largest is 110-184 meters.
Stefan Kraft holds the current record for the longest ski jump in history at 830 feet (253 meters), but he set that record outside of the Olympic Games on a track in Norway. The first ski jump record in the history of the sport was held by Olaf Rye (Danish war hero) with 31 feets (9.5 meters).
Ski Jumpers don’t use ski poles, their skis are bigger than normal ones and their only protection in case of a fall is a small helmet that barely protects their heads. Somepro athletes have ended their careers after a fall.