Ski jumping is heading for the abyss. New Ma³ysz stands no chance

Season 2000/2001. makes a sensation on (well described that time in). He wins the tournament with a gigantic advantage, and in subsequent competitions he beats his rivals as he wants and wins the World Cup classification with a huge advantage. The wind could blow from the front, from the back, light, strong – whatever. Ma³ysz had great skills, was in great shape and he did what he wanted.

Małysz was winning and he did not mind that Polish jumps were poor then, with no prospects, and there was makeshift and apathy. It didn’t matter that much back then. There was no gap between the equipment of the poorest and richest federations. On the hill it was mainly skill and form that decided. The difference in the wind strength of 1 m / s did not translate into a dozen or even several dozen meters difference in the jump distance, as it is happening now.

The technological race has made the current jumpers’ suits ultra-sensitive to any, even gentle, gusts. Two jumpers with similar skills, two similar jumps, and the distance difference of 10-15 meters. It is enough for one of them to have a more favorable wind by 0.2-0.3 m / s. Conversions, which are supposed to be a good solution, do not keep up with and do not compensate for this difference.

Today, only the richest – Germans, Austrians, Poles, Japanese, Slovenes or Norwegians – can afford the best suits and the materials they are made of. The others are in a losing position. Even in Italy, France, the Czech Republic or Kazakhstan, a new Małysz was born, skills alone are no longer enough. And if one of the leading nations by leaps and bounds for two or three seasons gets out of breath, he will not come back to the top. How fantastic the Finns 15-20 years ago. We will not experience romantic stories in ski jumping anymore, this beautiful sport will not win new markets. Will die out.

One way to save ski jumping

The FIS must act decisively and immediately. The crazy technology race has to be stopped and no complicated steps are needed. The FIS should introduce uniform equipment that it would provide itself. Same skis, same coveralls made of the same materials, same cut. Of course, it is adapted to the size of each of the jumpers. And it would have to be inferior quality equipment, so that the differences in the strength and direction of the wind would not be as gigantic as it is now.

Can’t the FIS afford it? It is true. Therefore, national unions should pay for it. Each set of outfits would cost the same. The leading federations certainly spend a lot more on the “space” technologies they now have. For each jumper, it would be possible to buy a predetermined number of identical sets of outfits and equipment before the season.

And then we could enjoy the sport again where David can beat Goliath. Because skills and form will decide. The romanticism of the jumps will come back, and we will know that we are supporting the jumpers, not their jumpsuits and Stefan Horngacher’s protests.