FasterSkier

Tag: WSJUSA

  • Hendrickson wins 2 World Cups, tightens grip on overall lead

    Ljubno, Slovenia — Sarah Hendrickson’s double fist-pump in the outrun is a modest show of celebration for the U.S. teen who’s been adamantly punching through the ceiling of women’s ski jumping this season.

    With two more World Cup wins this weekend in Ljubno, Slovenia, she’s sitting soundly in 1st place in the overall standings. Sarah has won six out of nine World Cup events and has notched at least two hill records, including Sunday’s second-round jump of 95 meters on the challenging K85 jump in Ljubno.

    “I had one of the best jumps I’ve ever had in competition and it all just came together and worked out so well,” Hendrickson said. “Technically I stayed in balance and my timing was good and in flight I kept my arms closer to my body. It was great coming over the knoll in that second jump — I knew it was good.”

    Coach Paolo Bernardi said Hendrickson is going from event to event, focused on jumping her best — and focused to win. “She’s in the perfect spot now,” he said of her overall 1st-place ranking.

    The Visa Women’s Ski Jumping Team is also No 1 overall — more than 437 points ahead of Germany — thanks to consistent podium, top-10 and top-20 results. Jessica Jerome, who took 5th on Saturday and 8th on Sunday, is jumping super aggressively and strong and is stepping up with more confidence, Bernardi said.

    “Coming into this weekend, I knew what I needed to do in Ljubno. This hill can be challenging and there were a couple of technical things I was able to figure out and fix,” said Jerome, currently 10th in the world. “I was really happy with my results.”

    Lindsey Van, ranked 3rd in the world, was 8th Saturday and 10th Sunday; Abby Hughes was 18th both days; and Alissa Johnson was 22nd and 21st. More than 3,000 spectators came out both days to watch the women jump — some of the largest crowds they’ve had so far this season.

    “It’s been a long six weeks on the road and I’m looking forward to coming home to recharge and prepare for the next World Cups in Zao, Japan,” Jerome said. “Our team is doing amazing and we’re ready to finish out the season strong.”

    Hendrickson, Nina Lussi and Nita Englund will compete in a Continental Cup event Feb. 18-19 in Liberec, Czech Republic in preparation for the Junior World Ski Jumping Championships on Feb. 23 in Erzurum, Turkey. The World Cup tour continues March 3-4 in Zao, Japan, where there will be three comps (one comp was added to make up for an earlier cancellation in Poland). The World Cup final is set for March 9 in Oslo, Norway.

    World Cup
    Ljubno, Slovenia
    Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012
    Women’s Normal Hill, HS95, K-point 85m

     

    1. Sarah Hendrickson, USA,  (85.5  87.0)  246.5

    2. Sara Takanashi, JPN, (86.5  88.5)  245.2

    3. Daniela Iraschko, AUT, (81.5  90.0)  229.2

    —

    5. Jessica Jerome, USA (85.5  83.5)  220.5

    8. Lindsey Van, USA,  (83.5  83.5)  218.3

    18. Abby Hughes, USA  (77.0  78.5)  199.4

    22. Alissa Johnson, USA, (74.5  80.5)  188.0

     

    World Cup
    Ljubno, Slovenia
    Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012
    Women’s Normal Hill, HS95, K-point 85m

    1. Sarah Hendrickson, USA,  (91.5  95.0)  259.6

    2. Sara Takanashi, JPN, (90.0  90.5)  246.7

    3. Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, AUT, (87.0  84.5)  222.4

    —

    8. Jessica Jerome, USA  (83.5  81.0)  209.2

    10. Lindsey Van, USA (85.0  80.0)  208.0

    18. Abby Hughes, USA  (80.0  78.0)  191.1

    21. Alissa Johnson, USA, (79.0  76.0)  181.8

    Source: Women’s Ski Jumping USA

  • Women ski jumpers win prestigious Women’s Sports Foundation Award

    The Women’s Sports Foundation is honoring the Visa Women’s Ski Jumping Team tonight with the 2011 Wilma Rudolph Courage Award as part of the 32nd Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards Gala in New York City.

    Team members and their supporting foundation, Women’s Ski Jumping USA (WSJ-USA), are being recognized for their perseverance and courage in fighting to gain Olympic status for their sport. In April 2011, the International Olympic Committee added a women’s ski jumping event to the Olympic Winter Games program beginning in 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Ski jumping (and Nordic Combined) have been the only disciplines in the Winter Games to exclude women.

    Ski jumpers Lindsey Van, Jessica Jerome and Alissa Johnson, and WSJ-USA President Deedee Corradini are in New York to receive the award.

    “To be honored by such a reputable organization with core values in which I truly believe is amazing,” said Jessica Jerome. “This award isn’t just for me and my team, it represents a much larger group of people and all their efforts and beliefs that helped us get to where we are today.”

    The Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) was founded in 1974 by tennis legend Billie Jean King. Deedee Corradini said it is incredible for the team and WSJ-USA to be recognized by one of the most influential organizations in the world that advocates for girls and women in sports.

    “This is a wonderful day for the team, the sport and all of our supporters and sponsors,” Corradini said.

    Alissa Johnson, who also received a WSF 2010 Travel and Training grant, hopes others find inspiration in their struggle. “I want our story to show young girls that if they believe in something, they can fight for it no matter what’s thrown in their way.”

    2009 World Ski Jumping Champion Lindsey Van said courage helped her and her teammates get through the toughest days. “We stood up as athletes and made it happen,” she added.

    The Annual Salute to Women features the announcement of the Sportswoman of the Year Award winners (individual and team) and the recipients of the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award, the Billie Jean King Contribution Award, the ANNIKA Inspiration Award, and a tribute to the PAC-12 Conference.

    Veteran ESPN sports broadcaster Bonnie Bernstein will host the event. And on stage to present the awards will be WSF founder Billie Jean King; World Champion boxer and WSF President Laila Ali; and Academy Award-winning actress Holly Hunter.

    More about the award:

    The Wilma Rudolph Courage Award is presented to a female athlete or team, who exhibits extraordinary courage in their athletic performance, demonstrates the ability to overcome adversity, makes significant contributions to sports and serves as an inspiration and role model to those who face challenges, overcomes them and strives for success at all levels. This award was first given in 1996 to Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

    Learn more at www.womenssportsfoundation.org/

    Source: WSJUSA

     

  • Jerome to be inducted into Ski Jumping Hall of Fame

    U.S. Women’s Ski Jumping Team veteran Jessica Jerome and legendary women’s coach Larry Stone will be inducted into the American Ski Jumping Hall of Fame (ASJHF) on Dec. 5, 2010.

    This is the second year in a row that ASJHF will include women athletes. Last year, reigning World Champion Lindsey Van and pioneering jumpers Dorothy “Dottie” Graves, Theresa Altobelli and Karla Keck were inducted. The hall of fame inducts still-active competitors who’ve won U.S. national championships and/or those who are Olympians.

    Jerome said she’s elated to be part of the American Ski Jumping HOF and adds that she’s been greatly influenced in her career by those in the HOF.

    “This is quite an honor which I was not expecting, and I am thrilled,” Jerome said. “It is wonderful that jumpers in the U.S. are such a tight-knit group of people of all ages who are all equally passionate about the sport.”

    Jerome is a seven-time U.S. national champion with 17 Continental Cup podium finishes and a sixth-place result in the inaugural World Championship event in 2009 in Liberec, Czech Republic. She is currently ranked seventh in the 2010-11 Continental Cup standings. Jerome has a career-best 138-meter leap on one of her favorite hills, the Lillehammer K120, on her résumé. She is studying economics at Westminster College in Salt Lake City.

    Long-time coach Larry Stone was instrumental in getting the women’s ski jumping program off the ground — especially in Lake Placid, New York.  Stone coached Van early on in her career.

    The HOF induction ceremony will take place at the St. James Hotel in Red Wing, Minn., on Dec 5, 2010. Jerome and Stone join nine other inductees:

    • Nick Alexander — 2010 U.S. Olympic Team

    • Bill Demong — 1998 U.S. National Ski Jumping Champion and U.S. Olympic Team (NC) in 2002, 2006, 2010

    • Stan DuRose — ski jump designer, many years of service to Central Division and National Ski Association

    • E.O. “Buck” Erickson — premier ski jumping writer from Iron Mountain, Mich.

    • Peter Frenette — 2010 and 2011 U.S. National Champion and 2010 U.S. Olympic Team

    • Dave Hicks — 1965 U.S. National Champion and 1964 U.S. Olympic Team

    • Sig Malvik — Exceptional Ski Jumper — Outstanding Meritorious Service

    • Alfred Ohrn — 1925 U.S. National Class “A” Champion

    • Dick Rahoi — U.S. 1956 & 1960 U.S. Olympic Team

    Learn more at http://www.americanskijumping.com/

    Source: WSJUSA

  • IOC Decision About Women’s Ski Jumping Could Take Place at October Meeting

    Women ski jumpers are hoping this month they will finally get the nod from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that they will be included in the Olympic Winter Games beginning in 2014 in Sochi.

    The Executive Board (EB) of the IOC will meet Oct. 24-26 in Acapulco, Mexico following a joint meeting with the National Olympic Committees. According to an IOC release, “…the EB will … decide on the disciplines and events that will be included in the sports programme of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.” IOC rules require that new disciplines for an Olympics be approved three years before the Games.

    “I am hopeful that the IOC Executive Board will vote the women into Sochi 2014 because we have advanced women’s ski jumping significantly since the decision was made not to include the women in Vancouver 2010,” said Deedee Corradini, longtime women’s jumping advocate and president of Women’s Ski Jumping USA.

    The International Ski Federation has recommended twice to the IOC to include women’s ski jumping in Sochi; three World Championships will have taken place before 2014; and a new World Cup circuit starts in 2011/2012.

    The IOC Program Commission, which met Sept. 30 at IOC headquarters in Lausanne, is expected to provide its recommendations to the EB on new disciplines for the Sochi sports program, a package rumored in the media to include women’s ski jumping and ski halfpipe.

    “Approval for Sochi 2014 is huge for the advancement of the sport — it will further bring many more young women and girls in to the sport that have stayed away because they haven’t been welcome on the ultimate stage: the Olympics,” Corradini said. More athletes and new countries join the competition circuit every year.

    For veteran women ski jumpers like Alissa Johnson, of Park City, Utah, it would mean she could fully concentrate on her future as an athlete. “For once in my life I could truly be considered an equal to my male counterparts in the sport,” said Johnson, whose younger brother, Anders, is a two-time Olympic ski jumper. “It would inspire me to continue to be the absolute best athlete that I can be, so that when I have my chance at the Games, I can fight for the Gold medal I have been dreaming about since I was 5.”

    Being included in the Olympic program also would make athlete and program sponsorship much easier, Corradini said. In May 2009, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association cut all funding to the women’s ski jumping team because it was not part of the Olympic program. Women’s Ski Jumping USA (WSJUSA), a nonprofit foundation, took over financial responsibility for the team last year and continues to raise money to get elite jumpers to competitions and pay for the coach.

    After hearing the jumpers’ inspiring story, a New York fine-art photographer has organized an upscale benefit on Oct. 21 in New York City to help raise money to send the women’s team to the World Championships in Oslo, Norway in February 2011. WSJUSA is supporting the event and more details are available at www.wsjusa.com.

    When asked if women are ready to jump in the Olympic Games, Johnson gives an emphatic, “yes.”

    “It’s not even a question in my mind if we are ready or not. Because we are,” she said. Women jumpers had hoped to be in Salt Lake 2002 (where women were forerunners for the men), Torino 2006 and Vancouver 2010.

    “This would give a lot of the older athletes more inspiration to continue with their careers. But most importantly, it would mean that our long struggle over the last decade would finally come to an end. We would finally have the opportunity to accomplish our dreams,” Johnson said.

    Source: WSJUSA

  • Van Lands Back-to-Back Podiums in Falun

    FALUN, Sweden (Sept. 26) – Lindsey Van (Park City, UT) scored two podium finishes over the weekend in Falun, Sweden in the women’s Continental Cup normal hill, HS98, event. Van was second on Saturday and third on Sunday, finishing ahead of Jessica Jerome (Park City, UT) in third and fourth.

    Daniela Irashko of Austria grabbed both wins, posting the longest jump on Saturday, 97 meters, and the longest jump on Sunday, 102 meters. Van jumped 86.5 and 94.5 meters on Saturday moving her into second, with Jerome jumping 92.5 and 87.5 meters to take third.

    Alissa Johnson (Park City, UT) and Abby Hughes (Park City, UT) rallied into the top 15 in eighth and 14th.

    On Sunday, Iraschko led the field again, with fellow countryman Austria’s Jacqueline Seifriedsbeger in second. Van posted a third place finish with 91.5 and 92.0 meter jumps.

    Jerome landed in fourth, just shy of the podium. Johnson and Hughes finished in seventh and 14th, respectively.

    The men competed in the Falun FIS Cup with Peter Frenette (Saranac Lake, NY) finishing in second on Saturday and first on Sunday. For complete FIS Cup results, go to the FIS website.

    OFFICIAL RESULTS
    Continental Cup
    Falun, Sweden
    September 25, 2010
    Women’s Normal Hill HS98

    1. Daniela Iraschko, Austria (97.0, 93.0) 244.5
    2. Lindsey Van, Park City, UT (86.5, 94.5) 229.5
    3. Jessica Jerome, Park City, UT (92.5, 87.5) 227.0
    4. Melanie Faisst, Germany (93.5, 86.0) 224.0
    5. Jacqueline Seifridsberger, Austria (92.5, 84.5) 221.5
    –
    8. Alissa Johnson, Park City, UT (82.5, 80.5) 187.0
    14. Abby Hughes, Park City, UT (70.5, 78.5) 157.0

    September 26, 2010
    Women’s Normal Hill HS98

    1. Daniela Iraschko, Austria, (102.0, 94.0) 258.0
    2. Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, Austria (95.5, 95.5) 253.0
    3. Lindsey Van, Park City, UT (91.5, 92.0) 235.5
    4. Jessica Jerome, Park City, UT (86.5, 91.0) 222.0
    5. Line Jahr, Norway (94.0, 83.0) 221.5
    –
    7. Alissa Johnson, Park City, UT (84.0, 86.5) 206.5
    14. Abby Hughes, Park City, UT (82.0, 77.5) 179.0

    Source: USSA

  • Three U.S. Jumpers in Top 10; wind wreaks havoc in Oslo comps

    Oslo, Norway — Jessica Jerome overcame erratic winds and a number of course holds and restarts to tally a pair of fourth-place finishes to lead the U.S. Women’s Ski Jumping Team in Continental Cup competition over the weekend in Oslo, Norway – site of the upcoming Nordic World Championships in February.

    Jumping took place amidst continuing construction surrounding the famous K120 Holmenkollen and K95 Midtstubakken jumps in the Norwegian capital as it readies to welcome the Nordic skiing world this winter.

    “The design of the new (Holmenkollen) complex is really cool and modern,” said U.S. team member Abby Hughes. “We heard the plan is to build four more ski jumps in that area and make a sports park, with k10 k20 k40 and k60 (jumps) along with a ropes course, swimming area, cross country trails and so on. Hopefully the important things — such as roads, stadiums, and the ski jumps — will be ready for the World Championships.”

    Despite all the construction in the new-look Holmenkollen, an old foe – wind – will continue to wreak havoc with competitions held there. Officials stopped and started Saturday’s event four times because of changing winds, and most jumpers battled a strong tailwind that severely limited flight distance.

    The one jumper who benefited from a headwind Saturday was Austria’s Daniela Iraschko, who swept last weekend’s two-competition stop in Lillehammer. Iraschko’s first effort Saturday measured a whopping 114.5 meters, more than 8 meters longer than the hill size for the competition (106). “She dropped like a rock and landed pretty hard and whiplashed onto her back,” Hughes said. “Because she (dragged her hands), it didn’t count as a hill record.”

    Iraschko flew a more modest 93.5 meters on her second jump, tallying a 241.5 score to edge France’s Coline Mattel in second. Jerome, who began dialing in her technique last week in Lillehammer with two top-five finishes, jumped 92.5 and 88.0 meters for a 203.5 score, good for fourth. Lindsey Van was right behind in fifth, Alissa Johnson was seventh, and Hughes ended up 13th.

    “All of us had pretty good first-round jumps considering the air was so bad,” Hughes said. “For the second round, we had lower speed and even more inconsistent air. Jessica had another good jump, Lindsey fought her way through the conditions, Alissa put two good jumps together, and I felt like my technique was consistent, however the tailwind over the knoll was very strong and didn’t help me at all.”

    Iraschko, Mattel and Germany’s Juliane Seyfarth finished 1-2-3 on Sunday, with Iraschko the only jumper to twice jump more than 100 meters. Jerome flew 100.5 her first time down and easily maintained fourth place in the final standings. Van (10th), Hughes (14th) and Johnson (20th) rounded out the U.S. placers.

    France’s Mattel maintained her lead in the Continental Cup standings with 503 points, with Iraschko in second with 400. Austria’s Jacqueline Seifriedsberger is third. Sarah Hendrickson of the U.S., who didn’t compete in Oslo, is sixth, followed by Jerome in 10th and Johnson in 13th place.

    The women’s Continental Cup circuit moves to Falun, Sweden, next weekend (Sept. 25-26) for two competitions.

    Oslo HS 106

    Saturday, Sept. 18

    1. Daniela Iraschko, Austria (114.5, 93.5) 241.5

    2. Coline Mattel, France (101.0, 93.0) 234.0

    3. Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, Austria (95.5, 92.0) 222.0

    4. Jessica Jerome, Park City, UT (92.5, 88.0) 203.5

    5. Lindsey Van, Park City, UT (89.0, 88.5) 199.0

    –

    7. Alissa Johnson, Park City, UT (89.5, 86.5) 192.5

    13. Abby Hughes, Park City, UT (91.5, 80.5) 182.0

    Sunday, Sept. 19

    1. Daniela Iraschko, Austria (104.0, 106.0) 248.2

    2. Coline Mattel, France (100.0, 99.5) 230.9

    3. Juliane Seyfarth, Germany (103.5, 95.0) 220.6

    4. Jessica Jerome, Park City, UT (100.5, 92.5) 214.6

    5. Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, Austria (94.5, 93.0) 210.1

    –

    10. Lindsey Van, Park City, UT (88.0, 95.0) 195.9

    14. Abby Hughes, Park City, UT (91.5, 92.5) 192.3

    20. Alissa Johnson, Park City, UT (94.0, 82.5) 177.3

    Source: Women’s Ski Jumping USA

  • Women ski jumpers in Court of Appeal today

    Vancouver – The women ski jumpers suing VANOC for inclusion in the 2010 Olympics are back in court today and Friday with arguments that will build on the trial judge’s findings of discrimination and VANOC carrying out a government activity, according to Ross Clark, Q.C., lawyer for the jumpers and a partner with Davis LLP in Vancouver.

    “We will ask the court to consider whether the IOC can force VANOC to discriminate when it’s carrying out a government activity,” Clark explained.  “We don’t agree with the trial judge’s findings that the International Olympic Committee is the final authority.”

    Deedee Corradini, president of Women’s Ski Jumping-USA and former mayor of Salt Lake City, agrees with Clark. “Canada has poured over $2.5 billion taxpayer dollars into the 2010 Olympics and almost daily local, provincial and federal politicians are claiming credit for hosting the games.  Rights to free speech are being curtailed and government will be forced to underwrite any loss,” Corradini pointed out.  “It seems obvious that government is deeply involved.”

    According to Corradini, VANOC’s argument of being supportive of the women ski jumpers is not credible either.

    “This is not what support looks like.  Support would be VANOC taking the jumpers’ position to the IOC itself rather than having the athletes take on the fight themselves,” she explained.  “VANOC could have told the IOC there is a human rights law in Canada which says that a distinction cannot be drawn between men and women, and what it offers to one, it must offer to the other.

    “What VANOC has done is window dressing at best,” she added. “I know from my intimate involvement in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake that VANOC has its own board and has tremendous decision making power of its own.”

    A panel of judges will hear the appeal and an expedited ruling, with reasons to follow, has been requested.  The 14 elite women ski jumpers who are plaintiffs – several of whom will attend court this week – are optimistic about their chances to win and to participate in the Games next FebruaryWomen ski jumpers in Court of Appeal tomorrow

    Source: WSJUSA

  • It’s Not Over — Women Ski Jumpers File Appeal

    Vancouver – The women ski jumpers denied justice in last week’s BC Supreme Court decision have decided to file an appeal with the BC Court of Appeals seeking a ruling on men and women’s ski jumping events at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

    “It’s not over,” Deedee Corradini, president of Women’s Ski Jump-USA and spokesperson for the group, said today.  “We took a few days for our lawyers to review last week’s judgment and to canvass our plaintiffs to see what everyone thought and now we’re ready to continue our fight to get the women into 2010.”

    According to lawyer Ross Clark, Q.C., the appeal will be based on the argument that VANOC must host the Games in accordance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  “It cannot host events on Canadian soil that implement discrimination,” Clark pointed out.

    “We believe with an expedited ruling in September that still leaves plenty of time for VANOC to plan and host a single women’s ski jumping event next February,” Corradini said. “When we hosted the Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002, we had contingency plans for everything. I’m sure they can accommodate us, especially given all the supportive comments they’ve made about the women ski jumpers’ situation.”

    Highly ranked Canadian jumper Katie Willis says she is “thrilled” the fight is still on.

    “We were so disheartened by last week’s decision, but we’re competitors: we won’t give up,” Willis said.

    World champion ski jumper Lindsey Van echoed Willis’s comments.  “I’m glad we’re going to appeal the court’s ruling.  We have earned our right to be at the Games, just like all the other top athletes: with hard work, discipline and perseverance. I want my shot at Olympic gold.”

    Source: WSJUSA

  • Women Ski Jumpers Lose Lawsuit

    Vancouver – BC Supreme Court Justice Lauri Ann Fenlon has denied the 15 elite women ski jumpers suing VANOC the declaration they sought, but found discrimination by the International Olympic Committee, but she will not declare that if the men’s ski jumping events are held at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, then women’s ski jumping events must be held as well.

    According to the plaintiff’s lawyer Ross Clark, Q.C., though Madame Justice Fenlon found VANOC is subject to the Charter when it carries out the activities of planning, organizing and staging the Games, the decision of whether women’s ski jumping is an Olympic event is beyond VANOC’s control.

    “We are disappointed that the women’s right to participate in 2010 has not been recognized by the Court,” Clark said.  “But we respect the Court’s opinion and we believe we had a fair hearing.  We accept the judge’s ruling, but we also need time to consider whether we will appeal.”

    Deedee Corradini, president of Women Ski Jumping-USA, said it’s terribly disappointing, but the experience and effort was important.

    “No one wanted to go to court over this, but we had no choice,” she explained.  “We did everything possible, followed the rules, grew the sport, held World Championships and the IOC remained opposed to including women in ski jumping.  We won’t give up until women’s ski jumping is in the Olympics, but it’s unfortunate this legal effort failed and they won’t be in 2010.”

    Katie Willis, a highly ranked Canadian ski jumper and one of the plaintiffs said she was very distressed by the news.

    “It’s awful that we lost, but I’m glad we tried,” Willis said.  “We needed to try every possible avenue to get into the Olympics and when my Canadian teammates and I were frustrated with the Canadian government’s lack of effort with the IOC, we had no choice but to join the lawsuit.”

    Jessica Jerome, another plaintiff and a member of the American women’s ski jumping team, said the news has left her “extremely disheartened.”

    “We did the best we could, and all we can do is hope for a better outcome in the future.  Of course, it’s extremely disheartening,” Jerome pointed out.  “I feel like we were trying to do the right thing to advance the sport as a whole, not just for the girls currently competing, but for the upcoming generation as well.  Unfortunately, this decision will affect a lot of talented skiers.  I am hopeful the future of women’s ski jumping will look more promising.”

    Ski jumping is the only sport in the Olympic Winter Games not open to both men and women.

    For a PDF copy of the judgment, go to www.wsjusa.com or www.courts.gov.bc.ca.

    Source: WSJUSA