Ski Jumping at Whistler Olympic Park

There are three different events in men’s ski jumping utilizing two hills. The Normal Hill Individual features flights of about 105 metres in length while Large Hill Individual has flights of about 140 metres in length. The Large Hill Team competition comprises groups of four athletes with the best jumpers going last. Ski jumping is an awe-inspiring event to watch as the distance the jumpers can attain is truly incredible.

Normal Hill Individual:

A qualification jump on the day prior to competition begins the event. The 15 top-ranked ski jumpers on the World Cup circuit are pre-selected and do not necessarily have to participate in the qualification event. The remaining athletes must rank in the top 35 to receive a start.

There are two rounds of jumps. The first round has 50 starters (15 pre-qualified and 35 qualified) with only the top 35 skiers moving on to the final round. The starting order for the second round of competition is in reverse from the first round, leaving the best jumps for the end.

Large Hill Individual:

The same format as the normal hill individual competition except it is held on the large hill.

Large Hill Team:

Each team is comprised of four athletes and there are two competition rounds. In the first round, one skier from each team jumps. Then, the second skier from each team jumps, followed by the third and fourth.

In the second round, only the top eight teams from the first round compete. Similar to the individual events, the less proficient jumpers go first and the best jumpers go last. The team with the highest total score over all eight jumps wins.

Get more information about the sport from Vancouver2010.com.