  So many strange and perverted ideas prevail in England and on the Continent as to what ski-jumping is, that it is, perhaps, excusable to begin by mentioning a few of the things which it is not. To begin with, there are people who think that ski are a sort of seven-league boots on which one may fly across the snow planes as fast as an express train, jumping any minor obstacles, such as houses or trees, which happen to be in the way. This is not so. Four or five miles per hour is very good going on the level, and it is impossible to jump upwards from the level over anything higher than a small gooseberry bush. Again, one frequently hears that Norwegians are born on ski, and jump before they can walk; but, though the writer of this article has made every inquiry, he has, so far, failed to authenticate a single case in point. The truth is that Norwegians of all ages are fond of ski-running and jumping, but, owing to such things as the melting of the snow in summer, extreme youth and old age, business and the like, only a comparatively small number are worthy to be called real experts. Further, it is not the fact that a special exercise place, with an elaborately built take-off, is essential. On most hills it is possible to build, in a few minutes, a jump which will give entertainment both to the skilful and unskilful; and it frequently happens in the course of a tour that a little natural drop presents itself, from which one may skim through the air for several yards before again touching the snow. True that in Norway hills are specially prepared and elaborate takeoffs built, but these are chiefly used for Solberg Hill. A successful leap. The jumper’s cap thrown off in flight may be seen behind him. Photo by D. M. M. Chrichton Somerville. Fig. 30.—The Solberg Hill (near Christiania.)
The steepness of the hill in degrees is marked below the outline. Like other great sports, ski-jumping calls forth the qualities of courage, skill, and endurance; a good jumper must have a cool head, a quick eye, and, above all, a nice sense of balance; but, given these things, it is open to all to succeed in some measure, be they old or young, born near the north pole or the equator. These misapprehensions having been removed, it is expedient to give a detailed description of what ski-jumping really is, detailed instructions following later. Your attention is directed to Fig. 30, p. 87. This represents the section of an exceptionally suitable hill. The jumper starts from the point A, and slides down to B, where he leaps. The impetus gained from his journey from A to B, coupled with the leap, sends him like a cannon ball through the air to C, where he alights, and continues his course to D. Here he usually stops himself by a Telemark or Christiania swing. The distance from B to C is the measure of the length of the jump, which may be anything up to 134ft. (the record to 1903), according to the condition of the snow; shape, length, and steepness of the hill; and the skill of the performer.8 It will be seen from this that the jump is not a jump up, but a jump down; and it can readily be guessed that the difficulty lies not so much in attaining great length as in retaining an upright position on alighting. It takes considerable practice to make a jump of 10ft. and stand, whilst anybody, provided the hill be sufficiently steep, can jump 100ft. and fall. Formerly, in Norway, the take-off used to be so placed that the jumper alighted on the level, instead of on the hill side, and, at first sight, such an arrangement might be thought to make Assuming, then, that the slope and snow are suitable, the chief requisites to success are a sense of balance and great daring. The bolder, almost rasher, one is, the better. The outlook from the top of a ski-jump of any magnitude is indeed alarming; for note that the slope above the take-off is usually, and properly, less steep than that below; and this means that a man of ordinary stature standing at the point A (see diagram) sees nothing of the slope B C, and his sensations, at least at first, are as of one about to launch himself into a vast abyss. The danger is, however, very largely imaginary, and a bold, coolly-calculated spring vastly increases the chances of standing. But to proceed from these general remarks to details. The ski used for jumping should be suited to the runner in accordance with the table given (p. 34). It is not easy to jump on ski shorter than this, but they may very well be a trifle longer. They should be rather on the heavy side, so as not to flutter about in the air, and in order to withstand the strain to which they are put on landing. Any good firm binding may be used which permits of vertical control over the ski. No other special equipment is necessary. The best snow for jumping is that which has been down for some days, and which has been trodden by ski into a fairly firm mass. The temperature of the air should be below freezing point. On such a surface the ski will glide swiftly and at an even rate of speed, sinking in about an inch or so—i.e., sufficiently to avoid side-slip. Sticky snow is dangerous, for the reason that it is apt to occasion a nasty fall forwards, due to the checking of the ski on alighting. For a similar reason, very HOW TO SELECT AND PREPARE THE HILL.As above mentioned, we frequently come across natural jumps when on tour which require little or no preparation. On most hill-sides there are places where sudden little dips occur. Give a kick or two with the ski just below such a dip, so as to make the step (see B, Fig. 30) more pronounced, and scrape together a little snow on the top of it to raise it somewhat. Then with half a minute’s stamping about the spot where you intend to alight your preparations will be complete. Or, again, a stone lying on a steep hill-side may be pressed into service after the manner shown below. Fig. 31.—Spraet hop, made by piling snow above a stone lying on the hill-side. Care must, of course, be taken that the top of the stone be covered with snow. This sort of jump, the point of which turns upwards, is called a spraet hop in Norwegian. It has the effect of throwing the runner high into the air and is excellent practice. Edges of cornices (not, of course, large, dangerous ones), stumps of trees, buried fences, &c., &c., can often be used for take-offs, and the runner when on tour should keep his eyes open for such, as they cause very amusing variations to ordinary going. But, though when a little skill has been acquired one should practice on all sorts and kinds of places, it is probably best to begin on something very easy, in order to gain confidence. Choose, then, a good steep hill with a fair out-run at the If you can find a hill with a little dip in it, well; but, if not, never mind. First select the place for building your take-off. This will usually be at the edge of the dip, supposing you have found one. If, however, the slope below this point is less than about double the length of jump you contemplate, or, say, 20 yards in all, you must place the take-off somewhat back from the extreme edge, as shown in Fig. 30. But very likely you may not be able to find any suitable hill with a dip in it. Never mind; a smooth hill will do quite as well, or perhaps at first even better. Choose a point on it 20 yards or so above the bottom, and build a long take-off there in the shape shown below. Fig. 32.—A long take-off built on a smooth hill. This is the form of hill on which you should practise for some time. Do not at first let there be too much change between the slope of the take-off and of the hill below, for the greater this difference the more difficult will be the jump. In choosing a hill it is, of course, desirable to select one as smooth and free from difficulties as possible. In Nature, however, such are seldom to be found, and one generally has to be content with something less perfect. It is, however, to be noted that smoothness of surface and regularity of snow, whilst everywhere desirable, are of special importance for a distance of ten So, having chosen your hill, stand down it once or twice to ascertain the best lie for the track. Then stamp the snow well down with your ski at the two important places above mentioned, making lanes down them about nine feet broad, and filling up any hollows with good firm snow. Then construct the take-off. This may conveniently be done by making a little fence of tree branches to the height of a foot or so, at right angles to the track, and then filling up the space above them with layers of snow and more tree branches placed flat. The structure should be made as firm as possible, especially at the edge, and it should combine with the hill above it, so as not to leave any sudden angle at the join. Begin with quite a little drop—about 1½ft. should be sufficient—and as soon as you can “stand” over that build higher and higher. It is not necessary for practice to make a very wide take-off—2ft. or 3ft. should be amply sufficient. And in general do not waste valuable time which might be spent in jumping in building a very elaborate affair. The case is, of course, quite different if the hill is intended for a competition. In this event too much care cannot be taken to give every competitor an equal chance. Fig. 30 shows an outline of the Solberg jumping hill, near Christiania, which may be taken as an example of what a hill ought to be. The snow on a competition hill should be thoroughly stamped down with ski some hours before the intended jumping. The take-off should be 3 or 4 yards wide, and there should be plenty of men both above and below the take-off armed with rakes to keep the snow in order. The spectators should not be allowed to approach too closely to the track. The illustrations opposite pp. 9 and 87 show how this is arranged in Norway. HOW TO JUMP.First study closely the figures in the diagram (Fig 33), then read the following instructions, referring back from time to time. Fig. 33. Showing position of limbs and body when jumping. N.B.—Many good ski-runners bring their ski quite level when assuming the crouched position before jumping. The ski are omitted for the sake of clearness. The Approach.Imagine yourself, then, standing some 20 or 30 yards above the take-off. (The precise distance will, of course, depend on the steepness of the hill and the speed which you wish to attain; but as regards speed do not attempt too much at first; it is difficult, of course, to give an exact measure, but a rate of about 5 yards per second when approaching the edge of the jump should be sufficient to begin with.) See that your ski-fastenings are in order, and polish your ski a little on the snow, or on some fir branches or other twigs, to remove any lumps adhering to the bottom of them. Be altogether without fear, and start. Hold the ski close together, with one of them somewhat in advance—say, with the heel of the one foot about in line with the toe of the other. About 15 yards or so before reaching the edge of the take-off bend down, leaning a little forward (see Fig. 33). N.B.—About this point many good jumpers bring their feet quite level. The Sats.Some few yards before reaching the edge swing the body evenly forwards, at the same time straightening up. This movement is termed the “sats.” Note particularly that no attempt must be made to lift the feet as in ordinary jumping. The body should be swung evenly forwards, and at the same time straighten up from the crouched to the erect position. The movement, if made vigorously, does, in fact, cause a slight rising from the ground, but it is best not to be too vigorous at first. Unroll yourself, so to speak, with an easy sweep, avoiding all stiffness and jerking. It may perhaps help you to understand what is meant if you make an attempt to rise on the toes. You should not, indeed, actually rise, but just at first, if you make an effort in that direction, it will probably assist you to arrive at the knack of the thing. Another very important point is the timing of the movement. The body should be nearly straight just as the take-off is left. Therefore, as the movement itself takes time, the greater the It follows from the above that the object of the sats is two-fold—firstly, to increase the length of the jump, and, secondly, to bring the body into the proper position for alighting. The former is achieved by the straightening movement, and the latter by the swing forward. “But,” you ask, “why swing forward at all, why not keep quite still?” The reason is that in descending all hills on slippery things like ski the body must be kept quite straight over them—or, in other words, at about right angles to the slope on which they are travelling. This is sufficiently obvious. But observe that in jumping the slope below the take-off is considerably steeper than that above (p. 93). The body must accordingly be brought forward when passing from one to the other, or a fall backwards will result. And such is, indeed, the common fate of the beginner, whose tendency is invariably to hang back! Now look at the spraet hop, shown in Fig. 31. Here the take-off itself is turned upwards, and the difference between its direction and that of the slope below becomes greater than ever. On such a jump it is especially necessary to swing well forwards, for which reason it is the very best practice, for once one has learnt to do that everything else is easy. Position in the Air.The whole body should be straight and erect. So do not check the straightening of the knees and thighs if you have not quite finished your spring when you leave the take-off. You will feel a compelling necessity to wave your arms round and round when in the air. Everybody does so more or less, On Alighting.Slide one foot forwards and the other backwards, relieving any shock by a slight bending of the knees. This extending of the feet is of great assistance in preserving the balance, and with a little practice becomes almost instinctive. Resume as soon as possible the normal position—i.e., ski close together, one foot slightly in advance, body slightly crouched. As soon as possible after reaching the level stop yourself by making a Telemark or Christiania swing. Points to be remembered:—
Pay great attention to your “form,” which is all important, as in rowing. Think of nothing else, and you will soon succeed. At competitions the prize is not necessarily awarded to the competitor who jumps furthest, even if he “stood” after alighting. For if the jump was made in bad style assuredly it was a fluke, and will seldom be repeated. All ski-jumpers fall more or less, but it is equally a matter of surprise if the awkward should “stand,” or the elegant and correct should fail. The style of jumping above recommended is that known in Norway as the SvÆve—one swoops motionless through the air. It is certainly the prettiest, as well as the easiest to learn. Another method, however, exists, known as the TrÆkke op, in which the leaper draws up his legs during his flight, the object being to cover a longer distance. This, however, Leif Berg Jumping 90 Feet, at Glarus, ’05. Photo by E. Jeanrenaud. But there is yet another point which it is far more difficult to decide. Shall the runner jump with feet perfectly level or shall he advance one of them as shown in Fig. 33? As will be seen from the above description, the writer has not ventured to speak positively as to this. On the one hand he has the authority of one of the Holmenkollen judges for asserting that it is best for the beginner to keep one foot in advance, whilst on the other the general practice of many (if not, indeed, most) first-class performers undoubtedly is to keep the feet quite level. The advocates of the advanced foot contend that extreme steadiness is of vital importance in taking the sats, and that, inasmuch as the advanced foot position is admittedly steadier than the other for glissading, it should also be adopted at this stage. In addition to which they argue that, after the flight through the air, when the runner first touches ground the advanced foot is the more stable position of the two. On the other side, those in favour of the “level-footed” style contend:—Firstly, that to jump with one foot forward looks ugly (and the writer is inclined to agree with them in this), and, secondly, that it defeats its own ends, for it involves leaning forward on to one foot, and accordingly jumping chiefly with it. And this (they say) is conducive to a crooked flight through the air. It is not, however, apparent how this is a necessary consequence, for in ordinary long-jumping the spring is taken almost entirely with one leg without the balance being in any way upset. These are, however, theoretical matters, as to which the reader interested may well be left to work out conclusions for himself, whilst those who do not care for argument can console themselves with the reflection that whichever style they like to adopt they have excellent authority for their choice. Is it possible that this is another question like that of the bindings and that perhaps it does not matter so very much, after all? Or may not both sides be right? May it not, for example, be best to jump with level feet when the track is smooth and easy, but with one foot forward when it is irregular |
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