Jumping Journal: February 27, 2006

Day 44.  Very fast and a little bumpy.  What a better way to describe an interesting late morning round of jumping.

 

I arrived at the hill and gave everyone the bad news about the passing of Bob Rollins, long time judge here in the east.  We got ready and headed on up the hill to take several jumps to test out the freshly iced out inrun before continuing on with hill work.

 

I didn't realize what was about to hit me as I set on the bar ready for the first jump.  The wind was blowing nicely and after it calmed down a bit I got the flag to go.  I started down the inrun and immediately lost it.  The combination of the increased speed and the bumpy track made it difficult for me to hold my inrun position.  By the time I got into the transition my hands were already in front of me trying to regain some symbolance of control.  It was a futile attempt.  I ended up on the tails of my skis by the time I got to the takeoff.  I got into the air okay but I didn't make it very far.  I landed and things still seemed shaky but I thought I was going to pull it off.  I ended up falling as usual right in the transition.  This crash I don't chalk up to the jump suit, which I did have on, rather I chalk it up to the inrun.

 

The second jump was ever so slightly better.  At least on the second jump I did manage to keep my arms at my sides but I still ended up on my tails at the takeoff.  I noticed the takeoff position much easier on the second jump.  I went down once again, this time further up the hill that before.

 

As I was walking up the steps I tapped on the speed of the track effect.  I thought that that was what I was noticing.  In reality it was the bumpiness of the track that was throwing me off.  I get the flag and start down the inrun.  This time I'm much more comfortable on the inrun.  The jump all the way around goes much better.  It did seem like I was trying to go down again right before the bridge but I manage to hang on.

 

I debate on whether I want to take a fourth jump or not.  Dan Brown decides to go for his third jump and I said the heck with and headed on up for my fourth jump of the morning.  This one is the most solid of the jumps and I notice on this jump that it had been the bumpy track all along that had been causing me my trouble with the first two jumps.

 

After changing clothes I head on up and help out as they had already decided to run the tracksetter back through the inrun to chop up the bumps and smooth the track back out.  Afterwords we start working on getting the bows laid out on the landing hill to finish it up.  While Jon and Esky are laying out the bows I head over and rake out the landing hill on the 25.  There was one kid that was hoping to jump it later in the evening and we need it prepped before opening ceremonies on Wednesday morning.

 

After a bit of a break we go on up and start tossing snow onto the inrun of the 25 and finally manage to get it looking decent for the first time this winter.  It's been jumped quite a bit this winter but it hasn't looked the prettiest to say the least.

 

We double check our list of assignments for JOs and then head back over to the 50.  The kids are already jumping when I get over there.  I had planned on taking some more jumps in the evening but I was dragging all the way as I walked over to the jump inn.  I decided to take the rest of the evening off and watch the kids jump instead.

 

Crash