From Deseret News archives:
Ski jumping championships at Olympic Park this weekend
From living room to ski jumping hill is no more than six miles, since all six members of the team live in Park City.
The event will open Saturday on the 90-meter jumping hill at the Utah Olympic Park.
It will conclude on Sunday. The event is free to the public.
Members of the U.S. squad include 15-year-old Avery Ardovino, Brenna Ellis, Abby Hughes, Jessica Jerome, Alissa Johnson and 12-time U.S. champion Lindsey Van.
This year the jumpers fall under the guidance of first-year coach Kjell Ivar Magnusson.
Entering the event, Magnusson said he expects the women to be very competitive "since they are more familiar with the Olympic venue."
"I think the women will be comfortable with these hills. They are motivated even more to do better here and I think they will have good results."
Luke Bodensteiner, U.S. nordic director, said that with more members on the team this year, and a new coach, he expects the women to do well in this event.
The first U.S. women's ski jumping team was named in spring 2006 when women were added to the competition schedule for the 2009 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships to be held in Liberec, Czech Republic.
Women ski jumpers were hoping for a spot in the 2010 Games in Vancouver. The International Olympic Committee, however, said before it added the event to the Olympic schedule it would like to see the women's program expanded.
They are now shooting for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
In order to increase exposure to women's jumping, there were 25 Continental Cup contests in 10 countries scheduled for the 2007-08 season.
Van, who spent a year at the National Sports Academy in Lake Placid when the Utah Olympic jumps were being constructed, has been ranked in the top three in cup standings for all three seasons of the tour. She was second in 2005 and '06, then third last season. Last year she dominated the final month of the schedule, winning three events and producing four other podiums.
A field of 35 athletes representing 11 nations is expected to compete in the FIS Continental Cup.
Ski jumpers are judged in two areas — distance and style.
The key element, of course, is how far a jumper flies from the takeoff point.
The style points are judged by the angle and power of the jumper's takeoff along with in-air symmetry of the athlete's skis and body together with a smooth landing.
The schedule each day will be as follows:
3:30 p.m. — Festival begins with the Winter Sports Experience, live music, food and beverages for sale.
4:30 p.m. — Competition starts.
7 p.m. — Awards ceremony.
E-mail: grass@desnews.com
