Why Ski Jumping is a Sport Which You’ll Love

FasterSkierSeptember 8, 2022
Sarah Hendrickson, jumping in this photo, is a FIS athlete representative to the Ski Jumping Committee. (Courtesy photo)

If you are looking for a new sport to fall in love with then ski jumping maybe exactly the option for you. The recent winter Olympics in China brought a huge number of new fans to so many of the disciplines, including ski jumping. Some of the world’s most respected sports are those which we are not able to do ourselves, and ski jumping falls right into that category. Most of us cannot even ski, let alone soar through the sky with the hope of landing with elegance. Let’s take a look at why you may love this sport.

 

Wagering On Results

For many winter sports there is not a large number of markets where you can place a wager, but with ski jumping you’ll find sports betting available here. Generally you will only be able to place simple bets such as who will win each round and who will win a tournament, but it does add an extra sense of fun to watching the sports.

 

Bryan Fletcher (U.S. Nordic Combined) at the 2016 U.S. Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Large Hill Championships in Park City, Utah. (Photo: USSA/Tyler Tate/T Squared Action Sports)

Variety of Winners

As in every sport there are always the best in the business who generally take the most wins, but ski jumping can really vary when it comes to who wins each tournament. This means that you end up with such a wide variety of winners and performances and this is exactly what keeps the sport so exciting. The margins are so fine when you are ski jumping, and even the very best in the industry make huge mistakes on the biggest stages, allowing others to make a name for themselves.

Bryan Fletcher flying at the 2016 U.S. Ski Jumping Championships at Utah Olympic Park in Park City, Utah. (Photo: USSA/Tyler Tate/T Squared Action Sports)HS-134 (Photo: USSA/Tyler Tate/T Squared Action Sport

Technique of the Sport

On the face of it those who jump on skis may look like they have a death wish, but the technique which goes into this sport is truly incredible. The more that you watch the sport, the more that you will learn just how difficult and technical it is. Once you realize this you end up with so much more respect for those who do it, and each event becomes even more interesting to watch.

Andreas Stjernen of Norway
Ski Jumping HS130 Team
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
Lahti, Finland
March 4, 2017

Busy Schedule

Once the season gets started, usually in early November, the schedule is really packed which means that there are plenty of events to watch almost daily. The main events are the World Cup and the Olympics but additionally there are mini-competitions throughout the season featuring some of the best jumpers in the game. If you do start watching this sport you will not have to wait for long before the next event comes around.

 

Smaller Nations

Another great feature of ski jumping is that it is not dominated by the US or Russia in the same way that so many sports are. Most jumpers come from countries like Japan, Romania, Poland, Norway and other smaller countries which often don’t take the headlines in other events.

 

The World Cup of Ski Jumping begins in early November, giving you plenty of time to learn about this exciting sport before it kicks off.

American Ben Berend after jumping to 22nd in the men’s individual normal hill competition at 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti, Finland. He went on to place 41st in the 10 k to end the day on Feb. 24.

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