Ski jumping
Soar through the air: the art and science of ski jumping.
Ski jumping is a winter sport in which competitors aim to achieve the farthest jump after sliding down on their skis from a specially designed curved ramp. Along with jump length, the competitor's aerial style and other factors also affect the final score. Ski jumping was first contested in Norway in the late 19th century, and later spread throughout Europe and North America in the early 20th century. Along with cross-country skiing, it constitutes the traditional group of Nordic skiing disciplines.
The sport’s recorded origins trace back to the early 19th century, with a documented jump of 9.5 meters in 1808. Sondre Norheim, regarded as the father of modern ski jumping, won the first prize competition in 1866. The first major event was held in Oslo in 1875, later moving to Holmenkollen in 1892, which remains a key venue. The sport spread to the United States through Norwegian immigrants in the late 19th century and to Canada via Nels Nelsen, whose hill in Revelstoke hosted record jumps from 1916 to 1933. Ski jumping has been a Winter Olympic event since 1924 and a World Championship event since 1925. The normal hill event was added to the Olympics in 1964, and the team event in 1988. Women’s participation began in the 1990s, with their first Olympic event in 2014. Ski flying, a variant, originated in Planica, Slovenia, in 1935, where the first jump over 100 meters occurred; the same venue saw the first official jump over 200 meters in 1994. The scoring system combines distance, style, gate factor, and wind conditions. Distance points are based on the hill’s construction point (K-point), with 60 points awarded for reaching it on normal and large hills, and 120 points on flying hills. Style judges award up to 20 points each. The jumping technique evolved from parallel skis with arms forward to the modern V-style. Summer ski jumping, using porcelain in-run tracks, is possible, with the highest-level summer competition being the FIS Ski Jumping Grand Prix, held since 1994.
Quick Facts
- Union
- International Ski Federation (FIS)
- First
- 22 November 1808
- Olaf Rye
- Eidsberg church, Eidsberg, Norway
- Category
- Nordic skiing
- Equipment
- Skis
- Venue
- Ski jumping hill
- Olympic
- 1924 (men) (2014) (women) (2022) (mixed team)
- World
- 1925 (men's nordic) (1972) (ski flying) (2009) (women's nordic)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Like most of the Nordic skiing disciplines, the first ski jumping competitions were held in Norway in the 19th century, although there is evidence of ski jumping in the late 18th century. The recorded origins of the first ski jump trace back to 1808, when Olaf Rye reached 9.5 m. Sondre Norheim, who is regarded as the 'father' of the modern ski jumping, won the first-ever ski jumping competition with prizes, which was held in Høydalsmo in 1866. The first larger ski jumping competition was held on Husebyrennet hill in Oslo, Norway, in 1875. Due to its poor infrastructure and the weather conditions, in 1892 the event was moved to Holmenkollen, which is today still one of the main ski jumping events in the season. In the late 19th century, Sondre Norheim and Nordic skier Karl Hovelsen immigrated to the United States and started developing the sport in that country. In 1924, ski jumping was featured at the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France. The sport has been featured at every Olympics since. Ski jumping was brought to Canada by Norwegian immigrant Nels Nelsen. Starting with his example in 1915 until late 1959, annual ski jumping competitions were held on Mount Revelstoke — the ski hill Nelsen designed — the longest period of any Canadian ski jumping venue. Revelstoke's was the biggest natural ski jump hill in Canada and internationally recognized as one of the best in North America. The length and natural grade of its 600 m hill made possible jumps of over 60 m—the longest in Canada. It was also the only hill in Canada where world ski jumping records were set, in 1916, 1921, 1925, 1932, and 1933. In 1935, the origins of ski flying began in Planica, Slovenia, where Josef Bradl became the first competitor in history to jump over 100 m. At the same venue, the first official jump over 200 m was achieved in 1994, when Toni Nieminen landed at 203 meters. In 1962 in Zakopane, Poland, the normal hill event was introduced at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Two years later, the normal hill event was included on the Olympic programme at the 1964 Winter Olympics. The team event was added later, at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Reader's Guide
A ski jumping hill is typically built on a steep natural slope. It consists of the jumping ramp (in-run), take-off table, and a landing hill. Competitors glide down from a common point at the top of the in-run, achieving considerable speeds at the take-off table, where they take off, carried by their own momentum. While airborne, they maintain an aerodynamic position with their bodies and skis, which allows them to maximise the length of their jump. The landing slope is constructed so that the jumper's trajectory is near-parallel with it, and the athlete's relative height to the ground is gradually lost, allowing for a gentle and safe landing. The landing space is followed by an out-run, a substantial flat or counter-inclined area that permits the skier to safely slow down. The out-run area is fenced and surrounded by a public auditorium. The slopes are classified according to the distance that the competitors travel in the air, between the end of the table and the landing. Each hill has a construction point (K-point), which serves as a 'target' that the competitors should reach. Competitors are ranked according to a numerical score obtained by adding up components based on distance, style, inrun length (gate factor) and wind conditions. In the individual event, the scores from each skier's two competition jumps are combined to determine the winner. Distance score depends on the hill's K-point. For K-90 and K-120 competitions, the K-point is set at 90 meters and 120 meters, respectively. Competitors are awarded 60 points (normal and large hills) and 120 points (flying hills) if they land on the K-point. For every meter beyond or below the K-point, extra points are awarded or deducted; the typical value is 2 points per meter in small hills, 1.8 points in large hills and 1.2 points in ski flying hills. A competitor's distance is measured between the takeoff and the point where the feet came in full contact with the landing slope (for abnormal landings, touchpoint of one foot, or another body part is considered). Jumps are measured with accuracy of 0.5 meters for all competitions. During the competition, five judges are based in a tower to the side of the expected landing point. They can award up to 20 points each for jumping style, based on keeping the skis steady during flight, balance, optimal body position, and landing.
Roots in the Norwegian Fjords
Ski jumping traces its earliest recorded leap to 1808, when Olaf Rye covered 9.5 metres in what is considered the first documented jump. Though evidence suggests the activity existed as far back as the late 1700s, it was Sondre Norheim who is widely credited as the father of the modern discipline. In 1866, he claimed victory in the first ski jumping competition to offer prizes, held at Høydalsmo. A decade later, the sport scaled up when the first major contest took place on the Husebyrennet hill in Oslo; poor infrastructure and weather eventually pushed the event to Holmenkollen in 1892, where it remains a cornerstone of the season to this day. The sport crossed the Atlantic through Norwegian immigrants. Sondre Norheim and Karl Hovelsen carried the discipline to the United States in the late 1800s, while in Canada, Nels Nelsen designed Mount Revelstoke in 1915. That natural hill, stretching 600 metres, hosted annual competitions until 1959 and produced world records in 1916, 1921, 1925, 1932, and 1933, making it the only Canadian venue to claim such marks.
Anatomy of a Hill and the Numbers Behind a Jump
Every ski jumping hill is engineered around three core elements: the in-run, the take-off table, and the landing slope. Built on a steep natural gradient, the in-run lets competitors accelerate from a common starting point until they reach considerable speed at the table. From there, they launch into the air, holding an aerodynamic body and ski position to stretch the flight as far as possible. The landing slope is deliberately shaped so the jumper's trajectory runs nearly parallel to it, shaving off relative height gradually for a safe touchdown. Beyond the landing zone lies the out-run, a flat or counter-inclined strip where the athlete decelerates, enclosed by fencing and a spectator auditorium. Scoring blends distance and style. Each hill carries a K-point, a target line in the landing area. Landing on it earns 60 points on normal and large hills, or 120 on flying hills. Every metre beyond or short adjusts the score by 2, 1.8, or 1.2 points per metre respectively. Five judges, positioned in a tower beside the landing zone, each award up to 20 style points. In individual events, two jumps are combined for the final ranking.
From Parallel Skis to the V-Style and Beyond
The way a jumper holds their body in flight has transformed dramatically since the sport's inception. Early competitors kept their skis parallel and both arms stretched straight ahead. Today, the dominant technique is the V-style, in which the skis are angled outward, a configuration that has become the standard aerodynamic position used to maximise flight distance. This evolution in technique has pushed the boundaries of what is physically possible. In 1935, at Planica in Slovenia, Josef Bradl became the first person in history to clear 100 metres. That same venue witnessed another landmark in 1994, when Toni Nieminen landed at 203 metres, the first officially recorded jump beyond the 200-metre mark. The competitive format itself has also broadened over the decades. The normal hill event was added to the FIS World Championships in 1962 and to the Olympic programme two years later. A team event followed at the 1988 Winter Games. Perhaps the most significant expansion came in the 1990s, when women began competing in the sport, culminating in their first Olympic event at the 2014 Winter Games.
Olympic Permanence and the Summer Season
Ski jumping has been a fixture of the Winter Olympics since its debut at the 1924 Games in Chamonix, France, and has appeared at every subsequent edition. The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, running since 1925, provide a parallel global stage, and all major competitions in the discipline fall under the governance of the International Ski Federation. What makes the sport uniquely resilient is that it is not confined to snow. During the summer months, athletes train and compete on purpose-built facilities where the in-run is surfaced with smooth porcelain tracks that simulate the friction of a snowy slope. The pinnacle of this off-season circuit is the FIS Ski Jumping Grand Prix, which has been contested since 1994. Together, the winter and summer calendars ensure that jumpers maintain peak form year-round, and the sport's continuous Olympic presence spanning more than a century underscores its enduring place in the Nordic skiing family alongside cross-country skiing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ski jumping and how does it work?
Ski jumping is a Nordic winter discipline where athletes launch off a curved ramp and try to cover as much distance as possible while in the air. The final score isn't based on distance alone; judges also evaluate the competitor's form and style during flight and landing.
What is the top summer competition for ski jumpers?
The FIS Ski Jumping Grand Prix, running every season since 1994, serves as the premier summer circuit for the sport. It lets athletes stay competitive during the off-season and is governed by the International Ski Federation, the same body that oversees the Olympic events.
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