NORDIC COMBINED: Two Sports in One Ski Jumpers Are Lean and Light, Allowing Them to Soar Metres Through the Air
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DECONSTRUCTING THE GAMES NORDIC COMBINED: Two sports in one Ski jumpers are lean and light, allowing them to soar metres through the air. Cross-country skiers are strong and muscular. Canwest News Service writer Rob Vanstone explains how athletes are able to excel at both: ALL DRESSED UP SMART FACTS Nordic combined incorporates the disciplines of ski jumping 1.THE EVENTS and cross-country skiing.It has been exclusively a male sport Competitors have one jump and cover a cross-country distance at the Olympics since the first Winter Games in 1924. of 10 kilometres.The same format applies to the normal-hill Nordic combined was restricted to individual competition and large-hill events.For the team event,each member of the until the Calgary Olympics of 1988,when the team event four-person squad jumps once off the large hill before taking was introduced.Here’s a look at the equipment required: part in the 4x5-km relay.There were three skiers per team until the 1998 Olympics in Nagano. 1.THE SUITS 5.HELMETS 2.THE NORWAY WAY Ski jumpers wear Since 1924,Norway leads the overall Olympic medal standings Cross-country skiers wear light helmets, snug-fitting suits that are with 26 medals (11 gold,eight silver,seven bronze),followed smaller than by Finland with 14 (4-8-2) and Austria with 10 (2-2-6). made out of Lycra,not unlike those used for speed skaters or athletes in alpine skiing. track and field.The goal is Cross-country 3.CANADIAN CONTENT to minimize wind resistance. skiers do not wear Jason Myslicki of Thunder Bay is the only seasoned member of Ski jumpers’suits are helmets. somewhat bulkier and Canada’s Nordic combined team.He had retired from the sport, include a layer of foam. but returned to competition with sights set on 2010.He was 41st Ski jumping suits are not in the individual and sprint events four years ago at Turin,when baggy,but neither are they he became the first Canadian to compete in Nordic combined skin-tight.There is a small since 1960 (when Irvin Servold finished 25th in Squaw Valley). tolerance for a looser-fitting suit in ski jumping. 4.AMERICAN MIGHT The sport is traditionally dominated by Europeans,but the U.S.is quickly making an impact thanks to accomplished competitors such as Bill Demong,Todd Lodwick and Johnny Spillane. 6.POLES Used by cross-country MEDAL FAVOURITES 2.THE SKIS skiers,but not Ski-jumping skis are normally at least twice as wide as ski jumpers. cross-country skis.Most ski-jumping skis are between 250 Europe and America and 275 centimetres in length,compared with 185 to 195 cm for cross-country.Cross-country skis are thinner than the boot. Anssi Koivuranta,Finland The good: Won last season’s Nordic Combined World Cup overall title and,at 21,is early in a 3.BOOTS AND BINDINGS career that includes many accomplishments. Ski-jumping boots are longer,often extending three-quarters The bad: Cross-country is weak compared with of the way up the calf in the back.Cross-country boots barely his ski jumping.He had a disappointing world cover the ankle,reminiscent of high-top basketball shoes. championships in 2009,failing to win a medal. Cross-country bindings are smaller than those used for ski jumping. Magnus Moan,Norway The good:The 26-year-old has five Nordic world ski championship medals (one gold,two silver, 4.WAX two bronze) and an Olympic bronze medal Cross-country skiers are much more reliant on (15-km individual event,2006) to his credit. waxing than ski jumpers because waxing He won the World Cup event at Whistler last year. makes more of a difference while The bad:Although he’s adept at ski jumping, skiing overland.In ski jumping,the ice on the he typically needs to rally into medal position inrun and downward motion make the wax in the cross-country portion of the competition. less important. His 2009 worlds were a disappointment,as he won just one medal (bronze in the team event). Todd Lodwick,United States The good: He capped a successful comeback from a two-year hiatus with world championship gold in the 10-km individual normal hill and 10-km mass start events. THE VENUE The bad:At 33,he is one of the older competitors THE ATHLETES Callaghan Valley — although the experience gained at four Ski jumpers and cross-country skiers both require a low Whistler Olympic Park: previous Olympics should be beneficial. body mass.Ski jumpers strive to be lean and powerful, The facility can accommodate 12,000 spectators for both ski jumping and whereas cross-country skiers are more focused on building cross-country skiing.The facility — the first in Olympic history to include all muscles and endurance. three Nordic sport stadiums in one site — has a core area of one square kilometre.Whistler Olympic Park will house 28 Olympic events,or one-third Bill Demong,United States of all competitions at the 2010 Olympic Games. The good:The 29-year-old is making his fourth Olympic appearance and is the reigning world champion in individual large hill. The bad: He suffered a fractured skull and broken bones in his face while diving into a hotel swimming pool in August 2002.The injuries led to a one-year hiatus from the sport. Felix Gottwald,Austria The good:The four-time Olympian has won two gold,one silver and three bronze medals over four Games and is the most decorated Olympian in Nordic combined history. The bad: He “retired”in March 2007 and,at age 34,there are questions as to whether he can approach peak form. FOR MORE ON THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS GO TO VANCOUVERSUN.COM/2010 GRAPHICS BY ROGER WATANABE AND MAGGIE WONG/VANCOUVER SUN NORDIC COMBINED SCHEDULE » Day 3 » Day 12 » Day 14 Sunday, Feb. 14 Tuesday, Feb. 23 Thursday, Feb. 25 Men’s individual Men’s team large hill Men’s individual Meadow Park normal hill large hill Sports 10-10:45 a.m. Centre 10-10:50 a.m. Men’s team relay 10-10:50 a.m. Whistler Nordic Centre Men’s individual 10 km *1-2 p.m. Men’s individual 10 km *1:45-2:20 p.m. *1-1:35 p.m. 2010* Indicates medal event.