by: Irene Davis

This annual ski jump competition is like the second National Day in Norway.  The Royal Family is always present and thousand of enthusiastic Norwegian sports fans make sure that there is a great atmosphere.  This year's competition is held March 18, 200 7 with the world's best jumpers competing.

  Where is this ski jump located?  It’s located in Oslo, Norway.  It opened in 1892, it’s been renovated  18 times (mainly in 1952, but the last time was in1982).  Oh, and did I mention that it’s the subject of this article?  I hope you learn something new about the Holmenkollen ski jump.     The Holmenkollen ski jump is the host to the world’s second oldest ski competition still in existence. Since the first competition in 1892, the crowds have increased to over 100,000 and the jump has been extended 18 times.  Today’s tower extends 60 meters above ground, and 417 meters above sea level.  The current record 136 meters was achieved by Tommy Ingebrightsen of Norway on January 25, 2006.    The first competition was watched by a crowd of 10,000.  These 10,000 people watched the length achieved by the winner, Svein Sollid from Morgedal in Telemark, was 21.5 meters.    In 1923, the Holmenkollen Ski Museum, located at the base of the ski jumping tower, opened.  As of 2006, it’s the oldest ski museum un the world.  Also, at the ski jump, there is a small virtual entertainment device which allows you to see and feel how the ski jumpers ski.    During it’s time as a ski arena, it has served host to nine different Nordic skiing and biathlon world championships, including the 1952 Winter Dlympics.     The Holmekollen ski jump is one of the smallest in the World Cup Tournament and the International Ski Federation made it clear that the current hill isn’t big enough and needs to be bigger. They will demolish the hill and build a couple new hills in it’s place. The new ski jump is going to have less steep in rum, artificial refrigeration of the in run, a reconstructed lower part of the jump to the end of the out rum, lights for evening jumps, a new elevator for the jumpers, wind protection measures for the jumpers, new spectator grand stands, an improved loud speaker system, and a new scoreboard.  Not to mention a “safer” jump.  This new jump will be built this spring (2007).     I hope you learned something new, because I know I did!