Kuopio
Williamstown 
The arms race of ski flying hills
on 2010-04-10
Since the last enlargement of the Letalnica ski flying hill at Planica and the resulting World Record of 239 meters by Bjørn Einar Romøren not much has changed around the world's flying hills. But now Vikersund has already started the enlargement of the flying hill and hopes to see a new World Record already in 2011.
Enlargement of Vikersundbakken on HS 215:
Since the difference about Vikersund’s status as the Norwegian national ski flying facility and the organization of ski flying world championships in 2010 resp. 2012 had been settled, now the creation of the future of the flying hill has already started.
Already in early April 2010 the enlargement works of the HS 207 into a HS 215 have started, which shall make jumps on more than 250 meters possible and fight Planica’s predominance for world records. Therefore the maximum height difference allowed by FIS between take-off and lowest point of the outrun of 130 m will be completely used and there is even hope for the approval of a further extension of 2.5 meters. In order to make these changes possible the landing zone will be dug 6 meters deeper, the take-off will be moved 6 meters upwards and the whole ski jumping hill will be turned a bit into southern direction. The inrun which is currently to steep with an angle of 40° will be flattened and only have 36° what makes the acceleration lower and allows jumpers to stay in their inrun position more easily. Additionally there will be a natural wind protection with the new layout.
The new profile was incidentally designed by the two Slovenes Sebastian and Janez Gorišek, who are responsible for construction and conversion works at Letalnica ski flying hill, too. As a first step of the financing 2.9m Euros were sponsored by the Norwegian government in mid March and only short time later already the first bucket excavators were starting the works in order to complete the new ski jump in time for the WSC trial in February 2011. The whole volume of conversion works is estimated on 10m Euro.
The Planica Nordic Center:
At Planica, the home of the ski flying world record, finally the attempts to stop dilapidation of the ski jumping facilities have started and until winter 2012/2013 a new Nordic center will be created.
Over the past years only the “Letalnica” ski flying hill was piecewise adapted to the minimal requirements on a modern ski jump, just recently before the Ski Flying WSC 2010 a new judge’s tower and chair lift up to the head of the jump were set up and the width of the landing hill was enlarged. But the remaining five ski jumps with the in 2001 collapsed old ski flying hill “Bloudkova Velikanka” can no longer fulfil modern standards, as well as the remaining infrastructure.
In order to strengthen the status of the Planica valley as the Slovenian national ski jumping heritage site and international world class sports event location already in 2006 the plan for the construction of 42m Euro “Planica Nordic Center” was adopted and should be made reality by the World Cup events on 2013. In addition to the ski flying hill (HS 215), five junior jumping hills (HS 85, HS 65, HS 45, HS 30 & HS 15) and normal and large hill (HS 135 & HS 105), it contains permanent spectator stands for all ski jumps and a cross-country skiing / football stadium. The new development mainly financed from EU funds and the Slovenian government shall also include a central building with a ski flying museum and education center, as well as a theme park and children’s play grounds in order to make Planica attractive as training site for Slovenian youth teams and as a whole year touristic attraction. Even the organization of a Nordic WSC would then be possible and imaginable for organizers.
Soon over 250 meters at Kulm?
Also fort he Kulm at Bad Mitterndorf there are plans for an enlargement of the ski flying hill in order to make record jumps of 250 m possible.
The wish of former world class jumper and chief organizer Hubert Neuper would be an adjustment of the 130 meter rule by the FIS ski jumping conference in April in Zürich and later approval by the FIS congress in June in Antalya, to be able to start enlargement works at Kulm. Therefore the inrun would have to be moved 30 meters backward and enlarged to push the Hill Size from now 200 m on world record level by 2012.
Fore sure there will be a cooling system installed into the inrun track and adjustment works in the outrun in 2010 for 1.9m Euros.
Ski Jumps:
Oberstdorf (Skiflugschanze)
Vikersund (Skiflygingsbakke)
Planica (Letalnica)
Bad Mitterndorf (Tauplitz)
Harrachov (Areál velkých můstků Čerťák)Advertisement:
Comments:
PRZEBUDOWA PLANICA 2013.LATO TEŻ HS 225
Będzie Przebudowa Planica będzie większa k-200 225-hs skoki do 270 metrów będzie większa od vikersund o 10-20metrów amen
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Tak dla ścisłości... W Vikersund punkt HS leży na 225 metrze, a w Planicy leży lub leżał na 215...
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