Myth #2 Debunked, Part 11

When you look at the adult base in other countries and the adult base in this country you see shocking statics.

 

At the 2005 International Masters Championships 199 adults showed up and competed at the event that was held in Austria.  Norway saw 54 jumpers compete, while Finland brought in 35, Germany 31, and hosting country Austria had 28.  Which four countries tend to finish the highest in the World Cup and at the Olympics?  I wonder if there is any correlation.

 

Now, compare this to the 2005 US Masters Championships, you find that only 17 jumpers made their way to the 100th anniversary celebration of the Norge Jumping Tournament.  Seventeen jumpers from the Unites States showed up to compete at US Masters versus 54 jumpers traveled from Norway to Austria to compete in the International Masters.  Something seems wrong here, very wrong.  Why does the United States have such little interest in ski jumping by the adult population.  Is it because all the kids have grown up and quit jumping that you can't attract new adults into the program.  It's the adults that brings the kids into the program, so where are all the adults.

 

From what I have been told, eastern Minnesota has the largest concentration of master age jumpers.  This years masters championships is to be held in St. Paul on January 28th, it should be interesting to see how many masters show up to compete this year.  St. Paul hosted the last great championships back in 1992 when around 50 masters showed up to compete.  Will they be able to compare this time?  I know of four of the eastern masters that are planning on heading out, three that will be jumping, the other wishes he could be but is out on the 'injured reserve list'.  No, I don't plan on heading out.  I'm not in the sport for competition, I'm jump purely for the fun of jumping.  That was the reason why I started jumping, and that is the reason why I'm still out here jumping 6-7 days a week all winter long.

 

Why does all this matter though?

 

The sport of ski jumping keeps growing younger and younger each year.  What is happening with the rest of the sports world?

 

I saw an article, sorry but I can't find the link to the article right now, back in late 2003 that was talking about the health of alpine skiing.  The article was talking about people being worried because the age of an average alpine skier has went from 40 to 45 in the past 15 years.  There was an article on Finance Yahoo July 4th weekend, 2005.  It was about the growth in triathloning.  The article stated that the biggest growth area in US Triathlon is in the 50+ age group category right now.

 

Most of the time I go out and do anything in the outdoors it is with adults.  Very rarely are kids to be found anywhere.  On occasion I will see kids out participating with their parents but more often then not all I see are adults.  The only real kid/adult sport you see all the time is alpine skiing.

 

Why do all these other sports have such an easy time getting adults to participate and ski jumping can't manage to beg, borrow, or steal their way into getting an adult to jump?

 

Is the perception about ski jumping being a kids only sport that huge that adults just don't feel like they belong out here.  I know I had that feeling when I first started.  It took me about a month to figure out why I didn't feel like I belonged out here.  I even had episodes of it at the start of the second winter I was jumping.  Granted most of the time that first year I was the only adult that I saw out here jumping.  Now most of the time I'm jumping with at least one other adult if not two or three other adults.  I never have the same feeling anymore.

 

Tomorrow I'll ask another hard question and start providing and alternative solution to getting more people out here ski jumping.

 

Until next time

Keep your ski tips up,

Crash