U.S. team hosting event
International ski jumping event set for Bear Hollow
The U.S. women will join teams from seven other countries Friday and Saturday in the Women's International Jumping Festival, the first event in the Continental Cup series.
The change in attitude, said Casey Colby, U.S. women's coach, comes from the fact that "women have finally been recognized for something they've been doing for 10 to 15 years."
Meaning that women jumpers, for the first time, will be included in the 2009 FIS Nordic Championships. The next step will be inclusion into the Olympics.
There is no event for women in ski jumping in the Games. Vancouver organizers are considering including the event in 2010.
As far as this event goes, Luke Bodensteiner, Nordic program director, said having events at the Utah Olympic Park was key to getting the FIS to include women in the championships in 2009.
"To make the Olympics, what this sport needs is to demonstrate a good level of participation internationally and to have a good number of events," he said.
"Right now we have a very healthy international circuit with lots of different competitions in a lot of different countries and involving a lot of different athletes. I think it's clear that we have what is needed to be included in the Olympics."
U.S. jumpers will, of course, have the home jump advantage in this event. Van and Johnson said that having the facility "next door" has been an advantage and has helped improve their jumping skill.
Van said all the training and jumping at the Utah park will prove itself in this event, even though, with temperatures near record marks, there is no snow.
But, Johnson noted that summer jumping isn't so different from winter, "except for the landing."
Colby said that even though the U.S. skiers are just getting back into the jumping mode, "the U.S. team is arguably the best team in the world right now."
Teams entered in this event with the most depth that will challenge the U.S. include Germany, Norway and Japan.
Since this is the first event of the 2007 season, rankings were based on final standing following the 2006 season. Admission is free. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. each day, with jumping running from 6 to 8 p.m.
E-mail: grass@desnews.com
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