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 06, 2009

Jumping Journal: January 06, 2009

6PM, Tuesday, January 06, 2009 here ice skating at the Newport Common awaiting the arrival of the second daytime snow storm in as many Wednesday's.  Hold it, hold it.  Something doesn't sound quite right here.  The first Tuesday of the New Year and I'm out ice skating at 6PM in the evening.  THIS ISN'T RIGHT!
 
Then again, what has been right for the past six or seven months now...NOTHING!
 
After getting a quick, 10-15 minute, freezing rain, sleet shower early, 1:30AM Monday morning I didn't think much more about it.  Everything seemed fine.  I saw the forecast was starting to call for another daytime snow coming up on Wednesday and Dan had talked about trying to jump Wednesday afternoon.  I knew that would pretty much can any hopes at all of jumping on Wednesday.
 
I didn't hear anything from him on Monday and until around noon time today I hadn't heard a peep and then the email arrived.  He was looking at the forecast for tomorrow and was thinking the same thing I was thinking.  He wanted to know if I wanted to jump this afternoon.  I said sure.
 
After making a couple of stops I found myself at Storrs Hill and found Dan up looking around for equipment for Todd.  We proceeded to rake the jump, it needed it BIG time thanks to the freezing rain 36+ hours earlier.  It didn't seem like it had rained that long, but I guess a little freezing rain goes a long way.
 
With the light already waning at 4PM we suited up and Dan rode the landing hill to make sure we would be able to stop before we got to the end of the outrun.  Yes, it was still pretty icy.
 
I walked up and put on the skis and Dan yelled up from the takeoff to make sure that I didn't wait to start stopping or I wouldn't stop in time.  I knew that already and it seems like all winter so far I have been starting my stop much sooner than what I ever remember starting it before.  I think it simply has been because of the conditions.
 
I get the signal from Dan and head down the inrun.  I was all over the inrun.  I definitely did not have a good inrun position and wasn't on the whole foot.  I made it the takeoff fine and jumped and things seemed normal.  I landed and things seemed pretty good for a second or so but when I got into the transition it seemed like I fell behind and let the skis get out in front of me.  They did end up getting out from underneath me and down I went.
 
As I went to get up I notice the snow was making it into the suit and I thought, CRAP.  I knew that wasn't a good sign.  Truthfully, my suit already was torn in the rear end from all my previous crashes and now this crash wasn't helping matters any.
 
I walked back up and flagged Dan for his first jump before walking on up to the top.  As I was putting on the skis I noticed the light on the judges tower was on.  It looked rather odd seeing it on.  I don't know if that means the power has been restored to the lights on the K50 or not.  It would still need the outrun groomed before we could jump it.  Dan was going to take a look and see if the lights were working when he went over the jump inn after we jumped to look further for equipment for Todd.
 
I questioned if I wanted to put the goggles on or not since it was getting darker.  There was still enough ambient light even with goggles but it was getting to the point where I was starting to question if it would be better with or without the goggles.  I decided to go with the goggles for one more jump.  Dan gives me the signal and I head down the inrun and this time I have a much more balanced inrun than before.  This time, though, just like the last time I fall behind in/just coming out of the transition on the landing hill.  This location is where the snow condition changed from softer pack on the landing hill to the icy conditions on the outrun.  I'm not sure if the conditions were playing a major role in what I was noticing or not.
 
I slid to a stop on my butt, once again, and as I got up I felt behind me and there was a definite hole in the rear end of the suit.  I decided given all factors, waning light, the hole in the suit, preferring not to have blood running down my rear end, etc to quit while I was still ahead.  I flag Dan and he takes another jump and I notice he has a bit of bobble roughly about the same place I was losing it.
 
I go in and change then go back out and flag Dan for his final jump and once again I notice the same thing in the same location.  I'm not sure if it was something on the hill that was causing my problem or if I was simply running into head games.
 
I left and came home and as I was getting into Newport I saw the kids/parents out skating on the common and I thought heck with it, I'll grab the skates from home and I'll be back.
 
I finished the evening off with some ice skating.  It did seem rather unusual to be on ice skates so early in the winter and to also not be out jumping on a perfectly good Tuesday evening in early January.
 
Can this year get any weirder???  Don't answer that!
 
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