Frequently Asked Questions

How does one become a ski jumper?
To find out more info on Ski Jumping in the Twin Cities click here.

The ski jumping community is a relatively small one in the United States but there are still a large number of clubs across the country. Contacting your local Ski Jumping club is the best way to get started. If you are unsure if there is a club near you, check online. www.skijumpingcentral.com is a great resource for clubs in the Midwest. Check out www.orda.org/skijump.htm to find a club in the Eastern United States and www.nsfparkcity.org for clubs in Rocky Mountain States. Last but not least, go to ski jumping events and watch. We guarantee it will be one of the most exciting things you’ve ever seen. And while your there don’t be afraid to ask ski jumpers questions. We love talking about our sport.

Isn’t ski jumping dangerous?
As with most sports there are some risks involved. But ski jumping is no more dangerous than football basketball or baseball. Advancements in equipment and technique have also made the sport very safe.

Those ski jumps are really big, how do you get yourself to go off that thing?
A common misperception of ski jumping is that crazy people go to the top of Olympic size jumps and fling themselves off. The reality is that all ski jumper start on very small jumps or bumps as we like to call them. The hills are small so the skier never gets a lot of speed and the jump they go off is only a foot or two off the ground. Once the jumper is comfortable enough on the beginning size jump he/she moves up a size in hill. There are about eight jump sizes (all gradually getting bigger) before you get to those large Olympic sized hills. This insures the jumper is fully capable when they get on jumps where speeds are high and jumps are long. (Click here to see a chart of jump sizes skiers train on)

I’ve seen “The Agony of Defeat” on wide world of sports. Didn’t that guy injure himself badly?
Most of us have seen Vinko Bogataj tumbled down the jump in the introduction to Wide World of Sports. For how hard that fall appeared, Vinko was not seriously injured and do to advancements in hill grooming (artificial track setting) accidents like his are a thing of the past.

How high do you jump?
Another misperception about jumping is that jumpers are extremely high in the air. Though at one time it was believed, the higher the better, jumps are now designed so the flyer will be close to the contour of the hill. This increases safety and creates better air pressure for the skiers to fly on. The real goal of every jumper is to fly a long way not to see how high they can jump.

How old do you have to be to ski jump?
There is no ideal age for starting ski jumping but typically the younger the better. Most competitive ski jumpers start between the ages of 4 and 10 but recently an 18 year old cross country skier started jumping to compete as a Nordic combined skier and in only a couple years has made his way to the US Ski Team.

I’ve heard jumping can be done in the summer, is that true?
Yes, ski jumping is a year round sport. The same jumps that are used in the winter can be outfitted with plastic material that is wet with a light coat of water. The plastic provides a perfect surface to ski on. The inrun is outfitted with tracks that a jumpers ski’s fit into creating a smooth ride with speeds that can be faster than snow. (See video example)