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International Federation of Skiing President
says Women’s Ski Jumping too dangerous – may not be added
to Olympic Program
Compiled from files of association press releases and media in Norway,
Canada, USA, and the United Kingdom.
Background –
Women’s Nordic ski jumping remains the only winter sport without
an event for female athletes on the Olympic program. Currently more than
120 women jumpers are registered with FIS and more than half are qualified
to compete internationally (which is more seasoned competitors than women's
bobsled and skeleton had when those sports were added to the Games in
2002). The 2006 FISU Games (World Universiade competition) featured a
women’s championships, and, FIS has sanctioned a junior world championships.
The spread of women jumpers in senior international competition is very
much the same as among the men, with a Norwegian to the fore, then two
Americans, a German, Italian, Austrian, Slovenian.
From the FIS President -
Gian-Franco Kasper, head of the International Ski Federation, has said,
"Ski jumping is just too dangerous for women. Don't forget, [the
landing] it's like jumping down from, let's say, about two meters to the
ground about a thousand times a year, which seems not to be appropriate
for ladies from a medical point of view."
The FIS would have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to put on a world championship for women jumpers. FIS president Gian Franco Casper isn't sure the women warrant that kind of substantial investment. He suggests that their numbers might still be too small.
"Actually, they are all jumping, but not all are really jumping. Six or seven of them are really jumping," Casper said in a telephone interview. "There are a few really jumping, but a few, in very few nations."
What the Ski Jumpers have to say
-
From ABC World News February 8, 2006
http://www.wsjusa.com/abc.htm
Competitions -
At the 2005 World Universiade in Austria, Daniela Iraschko won an historical
gold medal in the Women's Ski-Jumping, as the Women's competition is part
of the official sports program of the Winter Universiade since this year's
edition. The Austrian athlete jumped even further than most men. During
her sensational first jump she reached 98 meters. The only athlete who
even had a chance at reaching that distance was the Monika Pogladic (SLO).
She won the silver medal leaving the bronze to Seiko Koasa (JPN).
‘Winning this medal is fantastic, especially for me as Innsbruck is my home town. It was a good competition. Although there were some side winds, I think it was a fair competition.' Daniela praised FISU for bringing in the Women's Ski Jumping. ‘There was hardly any competition for women. Now with women being able to participate in the Universiade ski jump we have another high level competition.'
Paul Ganzenhuber, FISU Technical Chairman for Ski Jumping was very satisfied with the Universiade competition. ‘It was an excellent competition. We had sixteen nations and more than fifty jumpers. Ten among them have participated at the World Cup. I'm very happy FISU included the women's competition. It was the right thing to do as I've seen some great jumps by the girls and I'm sure the women's jumping will more develop in the future.
At the World Junior Championships in Slovenia in February 2006, 21 women from 9 nations competed with the winning jumps over 100 meters and competitors representing Germany, Canada, Italy, Austria, USA, the Czech Republic Norway, Switzerland and Slovenia.
See also: Jump Like a Girl - a documentary on women's ski jumping - http://www.jumplikeagirl.com/index.html
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