If you're already an expert skier, your next challenge in this world might be ski jumping. This is a highly technical aspect of the sport that creates a truly spectacular scene.
As an enthusiastic amateur, you might enjoy practising various jumps recreationally. However, in competitive jumping, judges evaluate:
- The jumper's movement.
- The transition into the flight phase.
- Passing the fall line on the landing slope (the jumper's landing area).
- Precision and safety.
- Dynamics and harmony in movement execution.
They aim for extra metres by sacrificing proper landing technique, specifically omitting the telemark technique when their skis touch the snow.
Do you know what the telemark technique is?
Normally when skiing, both your heel and toe remain fixed to the skis. With telemark, only the toe remains attached to the ski, leaving the heel completely free.When turning using this technique, you bow forward, bending the knee on the inside of the turn while applying more weight to the outside knee. This causes the more bent knee to nearly touch the ground while automatically lifting the heel.
What are the phases of a ski jump?
To understand this technical discipline, we must analyse the jumper's movement by breaking it down into five phases: inrun, take-off, flight, landing and outrun.
The inrun
The skier gains maximum speed while adopting an aerodynamic position. Skis glide parallel along a precisely grooved track on the jump ramp; legs are bent, torso inclined forward over the thighs, and arms positioned backwards. This allows jumpers to reach speeds exceeding 100 km/h at take-off.
The take-off
This is the most crucial moment, as proper synchronisation when leaving the ramp determines jump length. It involves rapid leg extension and forward body projection, ensuring optimal flight position.
The flight
The jumper glides by leaning forward over the skis with absolute movement control. Skis form a V-shape with slightly raised tips. This relatively new technique emerged just over six years ago.
Previously, skis remained parallel and close together; however, the V-position has proven superior for achieving greater distance and is now standard. Arms remain close to the body, helping balance during flight through hand movements. As flight progresses, the jumper gradually straightens before landing.
The landing
The landing impact should be absorbed smoothly with parallel skis using the telemark technique. Upon touchdown, one ski advances slightly ahead of the other with bent knees absorbing impact. Arms remain outstretched to maintain balance.
The outrun
After landing comes the braking phase, where the skier must stand and decelerate without losing balance. Maintaining a straight trajectory requires snowplough braking until passing the fall line (marked by a blue line). Falling before this point significantly reduces judges' scores.
Beyond this line, braking continues by sideslipping with parallel skis. On some World Cup jumps, a steep ramp after the landing zone allows braking without sideslipping.
Judges evaluate each phase and assign scores accordingly. Now that you understand what judges look for in this discipline - are you ready to showcase your skiing skills?
