Myth #1(Mother Nature killed the sport of ski jumping) Debunked

Myth #2(NCAA killed the sport of ski jumping) Debunked Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Myth #3(The US doesn't have the talent) Debunked Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Mind Of A Ski Jumper Part 1, 2, 3, 4

The Ultimate Coach - Ski Jump Training Device

Jumping Season Digest: (see bottom of this page)

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Jumping Journal: January 15, 2007

Not what I was expecting, BY A LONG SHOT!  You could ask for more but it might be hard to come by, or something like that.
 
After getting 6 inches of snow yesterday, yes another six inches.  This year reminds me of a joke my mother sent me a couple of years ago called "The Dairy of a Snow Shoveler".  It was about a guy who was doing battle with the local road plowing crew.  The guy was fine in the beginning of the winter, he was loving the snow.  He would go out to shovel after a snow storm and it was all fine.  He just had one problem, the snowplow would always come by to plow open his road right after he would finish shoveling out his driveway.  This went on and so did the snow.  It just kept snowing all winter long.  By the end of the winter the guy was out trying to kill the snowplow driver.
 
This winter kinda reminds me of something like that, but I'm not thinking of trying to kill anyone, other than maybe the meteorologist who calls for another snow storm, LOL!!!
 
12 inches of snow so far since the beginning of January.  Thankfully it has all come in just two storms.  But it seems like each time those storms pass and we get back out to jumping the conditions slow up on the inrun and we are left having short jumps.  Maybe the name of that joke should be changed to "The Dairy of a Ski Jumper".
 
Last night was spent getting the hill ready after the snow, which was still lightly falling around 5-6PM last night.  I arrived at the hill today to find it ready to be jumped.  Granted I was expecting it to be slow.  I knew it would have to be slow so I was figuring I would be lucky to see any jump much over 31-32 meters all evening long.
 
Since Cannonball has been trying to promote the sport once again he has now found himself with 10-15 new jumpers coming out and jumping on the K10 and K25 Tuesday and Thursday evenings about the same time we are jumping on the K50.  It ended up being just Dan, Matt and I out jumping tonight.  We was flagging each other as we got back up to the takeoff.  We have did this off and on for the past couple of years now.  It makes for more jumping opportunities and more peaceful jumping as well. Maybe that's what happened tonight...I'm still puzzled.
 
Dan took his first jump as I was walking up the tressel and Matt flagged both of us.  Starting from house was a little bit better than it was Sunday, but not by much.  The snow was a little further back along the ski and did help to provide a bit more balance to make starting somewhat easier.  I did take all my jumps tonight from house.
 
Jump one.  I was a bit wobbly at the very outset but quickly overcame it and got myself into a nice inrun position.  I jumped at the takeoff moving out over the skis nicely.  I landed the jump aroudn 36 meters.  I was VERY surprised.  Like I said before I wasn't expecting anything all night over 32 meters.  I still can't figure it out.  The landing hill was smooth as butter right into the outrun.  You couldn't ask for much better conditions.
 
Jump two.  Well...just like jump one expect about a meter further.  I was working on driving through the heel and moving out over the skis all evening long.  It seemed to work real well all evening long.
 
Jump three.  Well...here we go again...just like number two except for another meter further.  It was getting to the point of being my longest jump of the winter thus far.  It was starting to look like this might be one of my best session of ski jumping that I've ever seen.
 
Jump four.  Pretty much just like jump three, including once again landing right around 38 meters.  For a slow night something wasn't quite right.
 
Jump five and six.  Again pretty much identical.  I haven't seen myself jump this consistent in a long time.  This is more consistent than what I'm even use to jumping.
 
Jump seven.  Got to break the monotony sometime don't I.  The inrun is about the same, nice and solid all the way down.  I jump at the takeoff.  I have some decent power and the position isn't bad either.  I enjoy the short flight and land it real close to 40 meters.  It was in the top ten of all the jumps I've had thus far off the K50 in terms of far I jumped.
 
I seriously was considering calling it quits with that jump.  I know the secret is to always call it quits after a good jump.  Matt had already called it quits but Dan had already gone back up for another jump.  I couldn't resist getting another jump or two in so I headed back up.
 
I flagged Dan from the takeoff and then headed on up for my eighth jump of the evening.  It was pretty much like jump five and six.  It was shorter, back in the 37-38 meter range.  I was a little more chesty it seemed in the air.
 
Jump nine.  The final jump of the evening.  Wouldn't you guess it...I would screw it up.  I come down the inrun and I notice something really weird.  I had already had eight rides down the inrun on the cloudy evening(no snow falling).  On the ninth inrun it seemed like I found a sticky stretch right above/right in the transition.  It was the weirdest thing I have seen so far.
 
I jump at the takeoff.  It wasn't the best jump by a long shot.  It seemed like I was a little bit late and I would almost guess I probably did have the best technique either.  I still managed to land the jump around 36-37 meters.  I'm stumped.
 
The whole evening was strange.  It seemed like the track wasn't all that fast but the jumps I took were going down the hill the furtherest I've seen all winter.
 
It looks like another evening jumping on the K50 coming up tomorrow.  Cannonball wants to make up for missing tonight.  He needs to get ready for the meet this weekend, LOL!!!  He only had one person that should give him any competition this weekend and that jumper has only taken five jumps so far this winter and they were back the day after Christmas.  What's Cannonball worried about?  Get'em Mark, LMAO!!!
 
Crash
 
 
Winter 2010
DateLeb 25Plymouth 25Leb 50And 38
Dec 121
Jan 056
Jan 063
Feb 024
Feb 032
Feb 046
Feb 073
Mar 063
Totals133102