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)

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Jumping Journal: March 06, 2008

Rain, rain go away...I don't want the small hills here to stay...until next winter.
 
After a mixed bag of precipatition on Tuesday last into Wednesday morning the skies cleared out nice late yesterday and remained very sunny all day long today.  The highs both yesterday and today were in the low to mid 40's.  Not bad for this time of the year.  Granted I don't mind colder temperatures for a few more weeks at least.
 
I arrived at Storrs Hill this afternoon and talked a few minutes with Cannonball.  It sounded like the K50 had actually gotten better thanks to the rain/freezing rain we got the past couple of days.  He said the inrun was right back down to grade all the way across.  I guess the bottom of the inrun he was able to tracolate quite easily but the top had already boned up and would have to be recut.  He was also suggesting just letting it wait and jumping with the kids on the K25 tonight.  I wasn't against the idea even though I do need another 32 jumps or so to hit my first target of 650 jumps on the K50 between last year and this year.  I knew I needed 48 jumps, I believe, on any hill, to hit the 400th jumps of the winter.
 
After helping with the lift I walked back toward the lodge and I noticed Dan was walking out with his skis across his shoulder.  It was pretty obvious that he wasn't planning on jumping tonight and instead was planning on heading home to get ready to go to Lake Placid this weekend.
 
I suited up and headed on over to jump the K25 for only the second time this winter.  I was wondering how I would respond to it since it seems like I have had a harder time responding to the smaller jumps this winter.  It just always seems like the inrun is missing.  My big joke this winter is "Where's the rest of the inrun".
 
My first jump of the evening was much better than what I really expected any jump all evening to be.  It seemed like I ended up going down near 20 meters.  I definitely had the hardest time marking myself tonight with nothing to use as a reference like I have always had in the past.  I used to know the K25 well enough that I could mark myself without even trying.  That wasn't going to be the case tonight.
 
The first jump did catch me not cocking the ankles the best but otherwise it wasn't a bad jump.  The inrun seemed smoother than what it did earlier in the winter when I jumped it.  Admittedly, the picnic table was removed from the inrun for the remainder of the winter.  Everyone was commenting on how much better it was without the picnic table up there.  The big thing I noticed was how much flatter the house seemed on the K25 than it ever does on the K50. I'm not sure what the real difference is but you never get the feeling that you are going sliding backwards away from the track on the inrun.  I always get that feeling on the K50.
 
My second jump was better than the first.  I was definitely down to 20 meters if not 21 or 22 meters.  The bottom of the hill was the closest I've ever seen it while still in the air.
 
The third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh jumps were pretty much about the same.  The seventh jump, I believe, ended up being the best jump of the evening.  It was so good I was pulling out of the jump right from the takeoff and I still made it down below 20 meters.
 
As I walked up for the seventh jump Cannonball let it slip in that I should try to put in a telemark landing.  I forgot all about it on the seventh jump but I didn't forget it on the rest of the jumps this evening.  I ended up putting in a small tele on each of the final three jumps of the evening.  I'm still not sure if they were true teles or if they were Hollywood Teles.  There was separation but I can't really say for sure if the separation was at the landing or if I let it slip in after I landed.
 
Definitely a nice warm up before Mud Meet next weekend.  I was glad to see myself jumping that well on the K25.  Admittedly, the speed was about the fastest I've seen all winter.  Stopping at the end of the outrun was difficult due to the icy conditions.  Even though everything had been groomed it still refroze right back into ice and that made for difficult stopping.
 
I'm planning on spending the weekend at home out of the weather.  Everyone else will be praying the rain/mix bagged holds off until the competition is over Saturday in Lake Placid.  It sounds like Monday may be out as well.  Cannonball is planning to take the day Monday and wait until Tuesday to come up and start getting things prepped for Mud Meet.  I'm not sure if any of the other guys will want to jump Monday or not.  I might be able jump Monday, if not I guess I won't see anymore jumping until next Tuesday.
 
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