USASJ Story Project 31-DEC-2014 DON WEST

Editor's note-
Don West was an exceptionally positive force in ski jumping for as long as I can remember.  I first met him, fittingly, at the top of a ski jump.  Specifically, the old Olympic hill in Lake Placid (K76?).  I was 15 at the time and had never been off a "big" hill.  I'd been dragged to Lake Placid with my family to watch my younger brother, Brad, compete on the 40m in the J3 (U14) Eastern junior championships.  It was a bluebird day and after the competition Brad and a couple of the other top finishers were invited to try the Olympic jump.  I had packed my equipment for just such an opportunity and joined them at the base of the hill where I was immediately un-selected by a Pompous Local Official.   I was already nervous about jumping so big a hill and, while humiliated, was ready to put my skis back in the car.  Long/short my father intervened and begrudgingly the PLO let me head up- what little confidence I had initially carried, completely evaporated.

In retrospect, I imagine Don had seen the whole thing play out and "by chance" was waiting for us when we arrived nervously at the top.  It was 1974, five years post Woodstock, but hippies still a thing.  Was Don a hippie?   Who knew, but with his beard, long hair, and mellow presence he was clearly the coolest cat any of us had ever encountered.   And the perfect sage.  He delivered a subtle mix of instruction and confidence, then told us that he'd wait for us at the bottom and to "have a good one."  I will always feel blessed to have been so wondrously indoctrinated to the "big" hills.

Don traveled many paths and was many things to many people in the ski jumping world; his death this past August was an enormous loss to the community.   He loved anything that brought ski jumpers together which by default meant I could count on him for a story or two every year.  What follows is a story that Don got to me late last year. 

Jeff Hastings

THE TRESTLE ON THE OLD HILL IN BELOIT, WI was "luxuriously wide" and eventually moved to Westby, WI.

DON WEST
Age 77 (deceased)
Plattsburg, NY
Blackhawk Ski Club, Brattleboro Outing Club, Lake Placid/NYSEF

Excitement on Beloit's Big Hill

an indelible memory

Westby's big hill tower stood first on a bluff overlooking the Rock River in Beloit Wisconsin.  Anybody who has experienced that tower knows that it is luxuriously wide.

I jumped the old Beloit 'Big Hill' just one day in 1955, its last year of operation. I don't recall any other Blackhawk skiers competing that day. I was 17 years old and had a driver's license but still my mother drove me the 60 miles from Madison to Big Hill Park in Beloit in our 1941 Chevrolet.
Saturday had been very warm and the jumpers wore a deep track in the wet snow on the inrun.  The weather changed overnight and Sunday was cold.  When we arrived, the inrun was like a rock, with that deep track still in the tower, but apparently there were problems with the old track, bumpy, crooked, or whatever.  Late in the morning, the skiers decided that they needed to take out the old track and set a new one.

All the available rakes and shovels were put to work as the skiers themselves chipped away at the hard icy snow.  It was a big job even with a dozen or more workers hacking away, then being replaced by fresh hands and arms.  After perhaps a half hour, somehow one of the skiers waiting up on the tower mistook a signal and kicked out of the top and started down the in-run, thinking that he had been flagged to go.  Imagine his shock when he saw five or more guys still hacking away at the track down in the curve.

These were the days of hickory jumping skis with no hard edges of any sort, but what was he to do?  The skier wasted no time wondering -- as quickly as he could, he turned his skis sideways right there on that steep, icy inrun and skidded to a stop.  You would swear that his skis were making sparks!  On any narrower tower this would have been impossible but on Beloit's wide in-run he pulled it off and we all lived happily ever after.  Surely the ski jumping gods were watching over us that day!

DON WEST (no. 5) WITH HIS BELOVED FELLOW MASTERS- (L-R) Doug Maki, Tom Moore, Don, Joe Berens, Patrick Kruegel, Tom Ricchio, Tim Denisson.

Editor's 2nd note-

To see Don's obituary, click here

To see some history and photos of  the old Beloit hill, click here

USASJ Story Project 30-DEC-2014 CLINT JONES

THE JUMPS IN SOCHI.  After some crazy travel, Clint Jones felt fortunate to arrive in one piece.

CLINT JONES

Age 30

Steamboat Winter Sports Club

Park City, UT

skifli60@gmail.com

Air Sochi

Over the last 17 years, I have spent more than my fair share of time on planes.  It goes without saying that I have seen some bad weather, delays, angry passengers, and even bomb threats.  The craziest situation that I can remember from all of those years of traveling was probably in December of 2013, when we were traveling to Sochi for the pre-Olympic test event. 

At the time, the team for the trip consisted of Anders Johnson, Peter Frenette, and yours truly as the coach... All of whom were rookies to Russia. There had been stories circulating around the ski jumping community that it was not that great of an idea to travel through Moscow because the airport staff was notorious for loosing skis.  To solve this problem, FIS took it upon themselves to book a charter flight for all of the World Cup athletes and staff to avoid any issues during travel.  Little did they know, Mother Nature had other plans…

When we woke up in Zurich the morning of our direct flight to Sochi, it was a complete blizzard.  We arrived at the airport without any issues, and then began to follow our less than clear directions to drop off all of our luggage at an unfortunately well-hidden location outside the airport.  After dragging our bags around in the snow, we finally got them checked in and made our way to the gate.  We arrived at the plane, and quickly boarded to a very interesting scene.  The back 10 rows were without seats.  In their place, the ski and wax equipment for all the teams were stacked high.  The rest of the plane was full of the who’s who of both men’s and women’s ski jumping.  After a pre-flight briefing, all in Russian, the Baltic Holliday 737 pushed back from the gate.

The normal procedure with four inches of snow on the wings is to proceed directly to the de-icing area.  However, after taxiing for a few minutes, we made a left turn on to the runway.  I was a little confused when the pilot pushed the throttle all the forward, and we started speeding down the runway.  I am still not positive if it was only to try and get rid of the extra snow on the wings, but we continued on the ground almost the entire length of the runway, gaining speed the whole way.  I don’t know how fast we were going, but I have never been so fast on the ground.  Just before the end of the runway, we finally took off without a problem, even with the extra snow still on the wings. The next few hours of the flight were completely normal, except for the 120 or so top level ski jumpers mingling around. 

As we reached the eastern side of the Black Sea, things started to get interesting.  It was almost completely dark out, but you could just make out some storm clouds ahead.  Another 30 minutes later, the air became turbulent.  This was just in time for our final approach into Sochi.  The pilot came over the intercom and said something in Russian.  I jokingly looked over at Ander and translated, “Prepare for our crash landing in Sochi!...”  Almost immediately, I saw a bright white flash, and an immediate bang.  The lights flickered and the plane shook.  My first thought was that one of the engines had exploded.  After a few seconds, the lights were back on and the plane seemed to be cruising along without any problems.  Everyone on the plane was looking at each other and trying to figure out what had happened.  After 30 seconds, there was another white flash and a bang.  At this point, everyone was quite startled, especially because of the lack of information coming from the flight crew.  There seemed to be no problems with the plane, and at that point, we realized that the plane had just been struck by lightning.  Finally, the pilot came over the intercom and said in a totally unfazed voice, “Please Prepare for landing In Sochi.”  The flaps went down, and the pilot guided us in for a nice, smooth touch down.     

CLINT JONES competed in the 2002 and 2006 Olympics and is now the head coach for USASJ.

Editor's notes

Clint Jones is a two-time Olympian and one of the USA's best-ever ski jumpers.  On the other side of the walkie talkie he has evolved into one of the most respected coaches on the World Cup tour.  USASJ is very fortunate to have him as the top team's head coach.

To see Clint's FIS bio, click here

To see Clint jump over 175m at Planica (with a telemark!), click here

USASJ Story Project 29-DEC-2014 the GUNDRY FAMILY

Editor's note- 

Ski jumping has long been a family affair.  Thanks today to the Gundry family- Eli, Stewart, and Logan-  from Fall Creek, WI, who all jump (well!) and all took the time in this busy holiday season to share a story.

ELI GUNDRY gets some coaching from USASJ team members, Nick Alexander (L) and Nick Mattoon.

ELI GUNDRY

Age 7.5
Flying Eagles Ski Club

As you can see, the coaching worked pretty well!

Fall Creek, WI

My name is Eli Gundry and I am 7 and a half years old.  I started ski jumping at Mt. Washington in Eau Claire, Wisconsin when I was 4.   I usually jump the 7 or 15, but one time I did the 30.  In the summer of 2014, I drove to Utah with my brothers for the Springer Tournament.  When we got to the hill, I didn't want to jump off it because it was too big.  My coaches helped me and told me I could do it, but I did not want to jump.  I would not jump the hill because it was too big.  Then, Olympian Nick Alexander helped me.  He held me in the tracks for a long time and told me I could do it.  He held me in the tracks and told me it was not too big.  When I was ready, he let go and I jumped it. I jumped it again and again and again and again.  I want to be like Nick Alexander. 

STEWART GUNDRY finished 6th last year in the U10B Virtual US National Championships.

STEWART GUNDRY

Age 9

Flying Eagles Ski Club

Fall Creek, WI

My name is Stewart Gundry and I am 9 years old.  I have been ski jumping since 1st grade.  At the beginning, I didn't know much about it, but then I got into it.  I like being up in the air and meeting my goals.  I ski jump at Mt. Washington in Eau Claire Wisconsin 4 times a week in the winter.  We go to St. Paul, MN for tournaments.  My best day was when I out jumped the hill at Olympic Park.  If it snows this year, my goal is to keep on jumping farther and going to more hills and exploring.

Editor's note

To see Stewart's US Virtual National performance, click here

Logan Gundry had multiple top 5 finishes last year in the US CUP  Jr Series- Central Tour.

LOGAN GUNDRY

Age 12

Flying Eagles Ski Club

Fall Creek, WI

My name is Logan Gundry and I started ski jumping when I was 8 years old.   My friend Jonathon was ski jumping and I thought it was cool.  My first week as a ski jumper, I leaned too far forward and landed on my side and  broke my collar bone.   I had to sit out the rest of the season and watch the other jumpers. The next year, I go on the 30!  I like the speed of ski jumping. I don't exactly know why I like it--but it's fun.

USASJ Story Project 28-DEC-2014 MIKE GLASDER

MIKE GLASDER USASJ national team member, credits Norge Ski Club, its volunteers, and especially Scott Smith for creating a program that is developing great talent.

MIKE GLASDER
Age 25
Norge Ski Club
Cary, IL

I grew up in the small suburban town of Cary, IL located a short drive from the Windy City, Chicago. My Dad Steve and his whole family lived and grew up in this town their entire lives. My Uncle John had begun ski jumping at the Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove and skied up until a few short years ago. My family has always been very involved in sports so seeing that we live right across the river from the Norge ski jump it was only fitting that I would try ski jumping for a winter activity at the young age of 5. Little did I know at the time that this amazing sport would take me places that I never would have thought possible.

Many of you that have been to the Norge Ski Club in the past have seen a lot of changes over the years and the progression of the training facility. When I started, the club had a bunch of small hills and a soon to be outdated K64 with a junior program that wasn't in the best of shape. Within a few short years the junior. program had a lot of little kids interested in ski jumping. Parents were heavily involved in the club and were looking for a way for their kids to progress and improve their abilities in the sport. Around this same time Scott Smith started coaching at Norge. When I was first starting to compete as a little kid we would travel around the Midwest to tournaments every weekend January through March getting up early in the morning and traveling to the junior tournaments and watching the older athletes fly off the bigger hills in amazement. It wasn't long before Scott would take us and start traveling without our parents all over for these competitions.

LONELY at the TOP.   SCOTT SMITH, has led a resurgence in numbers

 and talent at the Norge Ski Club.

The club house at Norge was in desperate need of tearing down and rebuilding as it had been around for a very long time. One summer my dad (Steve) and countless other club members and volunteers dedicated their entire summer to the rebuilding of the clubhouse which is now an amazing facility that gets a lot of use by its members and athletes. Around this same time the K64 was also in need of tearing down a rebuilding. This is when the club had decided to take the tower in Ely, MN and truck it down to its new home in Fox River Grove to be reconstructed along with the addition of plastic so the junior kids could train throughout the year. This was a huge undertaking by the Norge Ski Club and everyone helped out with this tremendous project to support the juniors and keep the sport of ski jumping alive and well at Norge.  

Since all of this has happened the club has since rebuilt all of the smaller hills and installed plastic as well which makes it a great place for younger kids with Olympic and World Cup dreams. Snow making is also a very intensive task that takes place every year and the club now has a winch cat to aid in this process which is a huge help from when I was a younger jumper having to spend a few nights packing the hill every few hours.

The trestle on Norge's K70M once stood in Ely, MN.  The club managed to get 

it dismantled, trucked 600 miles, and rebuilt!

THE FUTURE is LOOKING BRIGHT for NORGE.

As you can see the Norge Ski Club has changed quite a bit since I began ski jumping and is producing a lot of promising young talent for our beloved sport. All of these changes were made with the help of dedicated parents and club members and with a great coach- Scott Smith, who mentors the youths in the area. It’s important for enthusiasts of ski jumping and ex-athletes to give back to the sport to continue the progression and heritage of ski jumping within the Unites States. I have made countless lifelong friends both young and old within my time involved in the sport. A huge thanks to my parents, Scott, the Norge Ski Club, and all of the friends and coaches that have gotten me to where I am today. Let’s continue the great progression that USA Ski Jumping has made over the past few years and give back to the sport so that young kids today and in the future may have the great opportunities in ski jumping that I have had! 

Editor's notes-
Mike has long been a national treasure and just missed making the 2014 Olympic Team.   He is competing this year in hopes of qualifying for the 2015 Nordic World Championships to be hosted by Falun, SWE. 
  
YOU NEED TO SEE THIS- To watch a really cool KFC ad that Mike did, click here

To see Mike's USASJ bio, click here

USASJ Story Project 27-DEC-2014 JOHN BENZIE

STRETCHING THE ENVELOPE.  JOHN BENZIE TRIED EVERYTHING (AT LEAST) ONCE.  Shown here on scoop tip Fischers in the late '70's.

JOHN BENZIE

Age 60

Iron Mt., MI

jbenzbkk@yahoo.com 

This incredible journey started out at age 12 on Christmas Day in the basement of my parents’ house in one of the most prestigious ski jumping communities of its time. I watched as former Olympic jumper Butch Wedin, dad (Charlie Benzie), and uncle (Dickie Bird Anderson, hill captain of Pine Mountain) put some bindings on a pair of Butch’s Northland jumping skis which had arrived 7'6'' instead of 8'6''.  At the time ski jumping was a big part of the Central division with active ski jumps in many little towns and back yards.  Well, after a nice dinner and with a few bottles of holiday spirits down, the adults told me to put my snowmobile suit on because we were going to the Myron Bowl to learn how to ski jump.  So picture me in this bulky suit wearing an old pair of Butch's boots with toes stuffed full of toilet paper so they would be a tighter fit.   Arriving at the hill everyone was feeding me instructions like there was nothing to it.  I had never snow skied in my life but was a good water skier so they all said I should have no problems.  What the hell were they thinking???  

I stood on top of this 30 meter scaffold with all these elders shouting out things to do and to each response gave excuse after excuse of what was wrong with my equipment.  Finally Uncle Dickie said I had 5 minutes before he came up and threw me down the jump.  With that the fear of god took over, do it on my terms or get pushed down the hill.  I was off and after hitting the first light bulb with my head because I was standing straight up, bent down into an in-run position to miss the rest of them.  I never got out of the tuck position and flew like a rock, landing hard and going to my rear end for the rest of the ride.  Knees shaking and barely able to stand after coming to a stop in the outrun I could hear them all laughing and yelling for me to clean out my underwear and get back up there to take another jump.  Now that is some great coaching!!!

Three years later I was jumping off Pine Mountain at age 15 in a homemade jump suit and sweater.  No helmet, no googles and hand-me-down low back boots that did not need toilet paper in the toes.  At this time big names like John Balfanz, Jerry and Jay Martin, Greg Swor, Adrian Watt, Dave Hicks, Tom Dargay, Coy Hill and many others put me in total amazement.   Through the years in this era of my career we experimented in all areas of equipment:  homemade spoilers on boots from Dave Tomten; webbed gloves, materials sewn under our arms and between our legs for kite effects.  Rubber suits with holes in front and plastic in back to act like a parachute in the air.  Fischers with scoops in the tips and with scoops; Kono's Elans with “wang” tips; and Kneissl’s with extra-long white star tails were all fair game and we tried them all.  Broken skis were common on the hills which were often ramshackle affairs with steep in-runs, elevator shaft landings, and rotted stairs covered over with cardboard.  Roy Weaver always won the event of mismatched skis.    Suicide Hill in Ishpeming was a classic example with a huge bump in the in-run where the scaffold met the table.  The fun part was making sure you jumped over the mine hole just below the end of the takeoff or end up in China.  Good times.

Not ever realizing this could change my life I ended up at NMU with Greg Windsperger as coach.  Still not truly focused on the sport and living life as Bonzi or Black Berry, Winnie had a real challenge turning me into a dedicated athlete.  Many thanks to him for sticking to his guns and pushing me to higher levels.  So many great times the NMU Finns  including Jryki,Perti, Norgie (Bernt Rognstad], Jimmie Joe Grahek, Rass, Erkila and other teammates I will never forget.  

On to the national and international circuit, ending up in Austria for the first time was a true eye opener to see how the big guns lived.  I remember the first night I met Nils Stolzlechner,a dual citizen (USA/AUS) living in Austria.  We began a long term friendship even when I was traveling with the A team of Hupo  (Hupert Neuper LH silver 1980),Toni Innauer (NH gold 1980, LH silver 1976),  Klaus Tuchscherer, Alois Lipburger, Fritz Koch, Hans Wallner.  I must say on and off the hills competition was fierce during training periods.  This was 1979 before the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics and during a heated volleyball game Toni got under my skin and I leg swiped him dropping him like a bad habit and spraining his ankle.  Needless to say I was sent home shortly after but the injury did not stop Toni from winning a gold medal in 1980.   My other trips overseas summer and winters included the two Crawdads (Greg and Gary Crawford), Pierre (Landis Arnold) Gaboury brothers, Deadwood Dave and included some broken arms and wrists.  

Back in the states I traveled the country from hill to hill and meet to meet in my Caddie with all who dared to jump on board.  It was a fun ride and I’m glad to be alive.                      

The first wind tunnel experience in New York hooking up to ole school harness was a real fun time also.  To all who Davis and I hazed on and off the hills I apologize.  Especially you Lubi (Scott Lubansky), as we really tried to mess you up.  You were one of the toughest kids we came across.  What we did to your skis and bindings in the box on tops of each hill was hard core.  Putting human icicles on them was harsh.  

Coming back to Big Thunder Bay where the flying Canadians and I hit it off quite well.  Stevie (Collins), Tiger Tom (Thompson), Horst (Bulau), Servie Dog (Jon Servold), Roger, Tim still to this day keep in touch and the parties we had at the banquets always included friends from the local college. Also to all who knew Stevie Collins and what he did on pair of skis was unheard of including the full 360 on jumping skis off the makeshift jump over the top of the warming shack that was just under the scaffold of the large hill in T-Bay.   Nailed it every time.   The Chicago team was a big hit here too as the Sky Lords made a splash with their rendition of the Super Bowl Bears ski songs with Homala , Smittie, and all the others.   This is where my friendship with the eastern boys came to play.  Bob Sachs, Big Jeff Volmrich, Stinger, Holland and few others who you all know who you are.  My last coach and slave driver was Ed Brisson whose voice no MN jumper will ever forget.  ''Benzie you and Chuck Burtelson come out of the top.  I want to see how fast this hill is.'' Sometimes if the snow was slow he had us sling-shot each other out of the top, and in Steamboat one day put a picnic table up there for us to jump off of for more speed.  Even at Copper Peak he had us come from top gate.   Our motto was whatever Ed wants, Ed gets.   He never had a speed gun he just stood next to the end of takeoff when you went by with no track laughing at us when we were launched out into the air like a rocket.  This guinea pig job was later turned over to Mike ''Wiener'' Shupien and Ron Hansen.

So many people, so many friends (Terry “Zoid” Kern, Steve Haik, John “Peanut M&M”, Scott “Tab Pop” Lubi, Jim, Jeff, John Denney the Ballet Boys, Chris “Mountain Man” McNeill, Wade “Nutter” Cattell, Reed “Thunder Thighs” Zuehlke, Gene “Mean Gene the Dancing Machine” Burmeister, on and on) came from the sport and so many success stories from all my ski jumping family.  It seems this sport as a whole has made me who I am today.  Retired and enjoying life would not have happened without it.  I want to thank you all and congratulate everyone I've crossed paths with.  

Finally, to all you young jumpers do not take any day on jumping hills for granted as one day you will all be writing stories for Hastings speaking of your road to retirement.

I have enclosed a folder of many pictures from years gone by for your all to enjoy.  Memories of a great life!

Editor's note-
Per John's wishes what follows is a gruesome, un-annotated and unedited pictorial accounting of ski jumping in the late 70's early 80's.  Proceed at your own risk.

USASJ Story Project 26-DEC-2014 TOM FULTON

TOM IN HIS 3-EVENT SKIS AT THE FORD SAYRE CARNIVAL in 1962.  Back in the day it was hard to find a good pair of jumping skis.  Tom shares some of the challenges and solutions to bad equipment.  Tom's father, Spike, who coached junior jumpers at Ford Sayre for MANY years, is back left in this photo.

TOM FULTON

Age 60

Ford Sayre Ski Club

Middlebury, VT

fulton.wingnut.tom@gmail.com 

It's All About the Skis (and never give up)

My first jumping skis were a pair of old Northlands, rented from the Ford Sayre program.  As they had received no attention to the bottoms in many, many years they were taken to Omer LaCasse's ski shop in Hanover, NH and were a coated with Ebonite, a speedy black compound better known for it's use in bowling balls. Then off to Sample's Hill in Norwich, VT where you were dropped off at the top of the in-run.  The big kids could usually strap on their skis and jump, but us little guys had to walk down to the knoll and ride the landing hill first. When you could ride the landing hill and stand, you could go up and jump.

For the next two months, twice a week, I would ride the landing hill, get to the transition and pitch to the right on my face.  Time and time again. Without fail. Toward the end of the season some kind soul noticed my plight. Further examination of the skis showed monstrous camber plus a warp in one ski.  I was told to bring my alpine skis to the next practice and was able to run the landing with no problem and finally jump.  I was hooked!

A few years later, another pair of Evil Northlands  whose edge de-laminated on the table of the 40 meter hill at Maple Valley (near Brattleboro) and sent me face first into the crusty snow on the knoll. Then more Northlands, with blue bottoms, yellow bottoms, maybe even green bottoms.  Whatever color they happened to have on hand at the plant.  Flying Finns (rotten to the core),Kongsberg (red meatball on the tails), and Splitkeins.

In college it was Elan, whose tips could be straightened if placed in the oven at 350-400 degrees for an hour or so and then bent back into shape.  Alpine and XC skiers always seemed to have plenty of new skis available.

Finally in my senior year at Middlebury College a new pair of beautiful orange  Fischers, which the head coach (cross country skier) attempted to ruin by stenciling MIDD in GIANT BLUE LETTERS on the tips and tails. Paint thinner was handy and catastrophe averted!

Being close to Christmas, I am reminded that Omer LaCasse (of Omer & Bob's Ski Shop in Hanover, NH) used to erect a huge trestle ski jump in his store window covered with artificial snow and tiny ski jumpers.  What a sight!

Tom ski jumping for Hanover High School in 1972 on Elans whose tips could be straightened by baking in an oven at 350-400 degrees.

USASJ Story Project Christmas Day 2014

FOR CHRISTMAS- THE STORY of HOPE.  Hope Krueger, shown above at her first tournament at Norge Ski Club in January 2014.  She believed she could, and so she did.

HOPE KRUEGER
Age 10
Norge Ski Club
Cary, IL

kruegers9@comcast.net

Last October, our family was driving around our new neighborhood and discovered the Norge Ski Club. We saw a sign that there was going to be a tournament a few days later, and I begged my mom to take us back. My mom said, “What parent would ever let their child jump off those rickety wooden structures?!” I was nine years old, and already a pretty good skier… and I started ski jumping the very next week! I love ski jumping because it’s fun and I love the feeling of flying off the jump and through the air. I can’t wait to get on the 40M soon, and then on the 70M by next year. I want to keep flying forever!

Note from Carrie Kreuger, Hope's mother-

“She believed she could and so, she did.”

Hope has a very unique story that makes her accomplishments so far remarkable. Abandoned at birth in Chicago, Hope was born premature, weighing only three pounds and had also suffered a stroke. One side of her body was entirely paralyzed, and she couldn't even walk or talk until after she was three. She joined our family through foster care at only two days old, and by God’s grace and goodness, we were able to adopt her a few years later. Hope has come so far already, we can’t wait to see what her future will hold – the sky is the limit for this little girl! Hope is passionate about this sport and has vision every day that she wants to spend the rest of her days involved with ski jumping – and her entire life so far is a testimony that with God, all things are possible!

USASJ Story Project 24-DEC-2014 BILLY DEMONG

THE YOUNG BILLY D LETTING IT FLY! .... with the ageless and omnipresent Don West working the flag.   Bill shares a story that should be an inspiration to all.  Getting to the top is as easy and as hard as persevering.

BILLY DEMONG

Age 34

Lake Placid Ski Club

Vermontville, NY/Park City, UT

billydemon@yahoo.com

When I was growing up in Vermontville, NY just on the backside of Whiteface Mountain I drove by the massive ski jumps every so often and the looming structure made a deep impression on me.  It was equal parts disbelief (that one could ever ski down that 26 story ramp), fear (that someday I may find myself in that position) and yearning to try it.  When Larry Stone came to our cross country practice at Dewey Mountain in Saranac Lake with a sales pitch and a sweet video of ski jumping I knew had to try it.  I was not alone, that recruitment effort yielded Matt Cook, Tommy Pandorf, Chris Johnson, Sean and Tim Burke, the Cotters and few others I struggle to remember who were all eager to start and many of which jumped throughout their grade school years and some like Matt and Sean who went on to win Junior Olympics.

Although I was a physical talent on Nordic skis and could jump high on solid ground I struggled with the technique required to fly down the hill.  I struggled on each step of my development from the K18 on.  And though I spent years overcoming some of the steps I never gave up because I had the desire to someday learn to fly!

At times I would catch a glimpse of finally mastering the 18 or the 48 and sending some jumps over the K point with ease, but then after some time, a crash or a growth spurt I would revert to "bonking the knob." Regardless I loved the sport and vowed to keep trying in the hopes that someday I would sail down the hill as effortlessly as the other guys like Taylor Hoffman or Tristan Handler.

When I was 16 I made a breakthrough and went from struggling to clear the blue line on the K90 to sailing down past K consistently and rapidly was able to do so with less speed and farther distance.  Somehow in the space of a year I went from the ugly duckling to a swan and qualified for my first Olympic Team in 1998.  For a few years I got better with each season and climbed the ranks of the World Cup culminating with a win in 2002 in Liberec, Czech.  But after a disappointing Olympic Games in Salt Lake City I fell back into a slump.  The slump was nearly as bad as some I had experienced growing up.  I knew what I wanted to do but I couldn't execute.  It took over a year for me to regain confidence and some form on the hill and several more after that to be in position to vie for the win.  

Looking back on my career I see that it was never easy.  Ski jumping is a house of cards where confidence breeds confidence but with one misplaced step the confidence can erode to the foundation.  Sometimes you get lucky and salvage a few levels but in the end this sport is always trying and always on the razor's edge of catastrophe.  In some respects I believe that is what drives me and my fellow ski jumpers.  The passion to fly, to overcome fear and to try and be as close to godly as humanly possible with equipment as rudimentary as a foam suit and a pair of skis.  When I look in the rear-view mirror the journey I took to becoming an Olympic Champion was made only more substantial and satisfying by the struggles on the path.  

Last week I took my first jumps in a while and for the first time in some years I just enjoyed it for what it was... flying down a mountain on simple equipment.  The feeling of a decent jump will never bore me, never be taken for granted and always be something for which I yearn.

Please! Help me ensure the future of our sport by donating to  http://www.active.com/donate/USASJFUNDRAISE  My mission now is to leave this sport better and brighter than I found it and to give the opportunity that I've been so fortunate to have to the many aspiring youth in our pipeline.

SHARING A MOMENT.  Johnny Spillane (L) and Billy with Olympic silver and gold from the LH  Nordic combined event in Vancouver 2010.

Editor's note-
In addition to competing at the highest level, Billy has also been a driving force in bringing USASJ and Nordic combined closer together.  There's been great progress with more to come.  
To see a recap of Bill's gold medal performance in Vancouver click here
To see Bill's FIS bio click here
Follow Bill on Twitter at @billydemong or click here

USASJ Story Project 23-DEC-2104 NINA LUSSI

LEAVE IT TO THE FRENCH.  Nina, shown coming over the knoll on Lake Placid's K90, shares a story  about her first jump on a large hill... and a chance encounter with the debonair Frenchman who made it possible.

NINA LUSSI

Age 20

Lake Placid Ski Club

Lake Placid, NY

nina.lussi@gmail.com

Ski jumping stories. We are all full of them. Each one more wild than the next, but I am not sure if all are entirely appropriate for our audience here at USASJ. If you ever do get the chance to spend an evening with a group of former or current jumpers, you simply need to give a little prod and the snowball effect will take place before your eyes (or ears).

My story is actually one I had forgotten about until just today! As I was making my way to the chairlift in Planica, Slovenia I caught a glimpse of one of the French coaches and I had to giggle to myself. Although he doesn't have any idea who I am, I will never forget the time he helped me out in Steamboat many years ago.

Back in the days of Nordic Combined World Cup B (now Continental Cup), our early snow out west would always overlap with the opening event in Steamboat Springs, CO. This trip in particular was actually my first time across the country with the Eastern boys (some of which I just jumped alongside of in the World Cup in Lillehammer, Norway) and it was all still slightly foreign to me.  A fairly large group of us were getting our first winter jumps under our belts and things were going smoothly.

I must have been 12 at the time and the entire week of training I couldn't help but to look to the right of the 90 meter, up at the looming “big hill”. On our last day of the early snow camp, I was having some of my best jumps of my life and knew that it was now or never. I timidly radioed up to my coach asking if there was any chance of jumping the Big. For a few long seconds, I didn't hear anything and I was kicking myself for crossing that invisible line between athlete and coach. But then, at long last, I heard Matt Cook’s voice crackle the words, letting me know I was free to take one last jump on the K114.

I raced over to the Poma lift and couldn't suppress my grin. Upon arrival at the top, I was all alone, and figured I would take the highest bar set and put my skis on as I watched ice chunks clunk their way down the inrun. Then I moved forward to try to get on the bar and realized there was no way I was going to be able to jump up on to it – it was way too high!

This is where the Frenchman comes in. He was apparently taking one last jump as well and had just arrived at the top to see me struggling to attempt getting on the bar. Calmly, he set his skis down and stepped up to my gate. He pointed at me and in broken English said “you, need help?” I nodded enthusiastically.  With that, he simply grabbed me, skis on and everything, and plopped me down on the bar. “uhhh,… merci” I stammered. And the rest is history. I took a jump, set a new personal record and returned home to Lake Placid with a smile on my face.

Editor's note-

To see Nina's FIS bio, click here

HARBINGER of the FUTURE.  The podium from 2007 Flaming Leaves with Tara Gereghty Moats, Sarah Hendrickson, and Nina Lussi   

USASJ Story Project 22-DEC-14 DOUG LANTZ

DOUG LANTZ STRETCHING OVER 'EM in 1964 in Salisbury, CT.  Bernie or Roger Dion watching from the coaches' stand.

Detail of Doug's face... the fine line between ecstasy and terror.

DOUG LANTZ

Age 58

Hanover, NH

Newport Nordic Club

douglantz11@hotmail.com

If I had to list five important things in my life growing up, ski jumping would surely be one of them.  Born in November, in a snowstorm, in Brattleboro, Vermont, I was the fourth son, joining three older brothers, to a family that would eventually consist of six boys, no girls.  It was always important to point out, "no girls."  I'm not sure why because if you were ever around us, there was never a question..."no girls!"  Now that I think about it, probably one of the reasons we ski jumped is because Mom and Dad couldn't afford to take us all to a ski area for the day.

During the winter, it seemed like we traveled almost every weekend.  Competitions in Lake Placid, Bear Mountain, and Beacon NY; Salisbury CT, Rumford ME,  Gunstock, Lebanon, and Hanover, NH.  In the ski jumping community, we were all part of a big family.  Lifelong memories and friends forever.  

It all started across the road from our house in Vermont.  I'm surprised none of us ever got into engineering, (now that I think about it...no, I'm not surprised).  I can remember, even in the summer, finding a slope and designing in our minds, the jump we'd build that winter.  We had jumps all over the place.  One of our favorites, until Dad saw it, was behind the house, down over a steep bank, dodging large maple trees, then quickly getting into an in run for thirty feet, jumping, between trees, going about 30 feet, then trying to stop before we hit even more trees.  I remember Dad seeing it and that was it.  My other favorite jump was off the roof of the house.  We'd climb a tree next to the garage, hang onto the weathervane, balance, put on our skis, ski down the roof, across the breezeway roof and jump.  And the best part was the landing hill...the lawn, it was flat.  (seemed to build strength).  That was another hill that didn't make it onto the circuit.  

As the family grew, ski jumping was always part of our dinner time family conversation.  A new jump built that day, somebody had a new bruise, somebody's ski fell off, and sometimes a real bad fall.  At age 15, my oldest brother Jim, dislocated his right hip ski jumping at Maple Valley in Dummerston, VT.  I wasn't there but the story goes..."a gust of wind, landed off the side of the hill."  That jump isn't there anymore, and Jim was never able to jump again.  

Brother David, #2, had a very successful career...Jr. Nationals, Middlebury College Ski Team, and the US Nordic Combined Ski Team 1971-76.  Brother Tom, #3, was probably the best jumper in the family.  He also was Jr. Nationals, the US Eastern Team, and University of Vermont Ski Team.  They had both blazed pretty good trails, and that did put some pressure me.  I never made into the same arenas they did but still made my own way gathering a few personal highlights in ski jumping.  

In 1971, our family moved to Newport, NH.  Dad had purchased a business, and I was about to start my freshman year at Newport High School.  This was tough at age 15.  All my friends in Brattleboro left behind, my three older brothers off at college, and a slightly different level of ski jumping from Brattleboro where they had the 15 and 20 meter jumps at Memorial Park, the 40 meter known as Latchis Hill, and the famous Harris Hill.  When I lived there it was a 65 meter.  Now I think it's a 90, or what you call today, a 120.  Anyway, my new home, Newport, had only a 20 meter ski jump.    

If you're 50 years old or older, you'll remember the ski jumps behind Lake Placid High School.  There was a 15 meter and a 30.  My research says they were built around the 1932 Winter Olympics.  As a 6 year old, the steel trestle of the 30 meter seemed to tower as high as the Empire State Building.  I jumped the 15 meter and watched my older brothers fly off the 30.  I knew that one day I would also jump that hill.

There were stories of a place behind Newport High School where a larger hill once existed.  We found a grown in area with a slope that resembled a landing hill.  It looked like it might have been a 30 meter.  With some clearing and landscaping, we had the landing but no in-run.  The old 30 meter trestle in Lake Placid had been closed for many years.  With the help of a community, the Newport Nordic Club had been formed and we purchased the old 30 meter trestle from Lake Placid.  Almost by coincidence, we found a retired steel worker who agreed to travel up to Lake Placid, number each piece of steel, take it down, put it on a flatbed, and rebuild it exactly as it was, back in Newport.  What a project!  I remember a gentleman named Dave Bradley, a Dartmouth guy, coming down to Newport and basically saying, "This should be where the takeoff is."  From there, concrete footing were poured, and the trestle put back up.  

Like kids at Christmas time, the jump couldn't get done quick enough.  The landing hill was perfectly groomed, waiting for the in-run to be built.  The outrun looked very short, but who cared.  Stopping was the last thing on our minds.  

Finally, the structure was complete, the wood planks on, at least up to the first box.  Although the landing hill was perfect with plenty of snow, we couldn't wait for Mother Nature, so we grabbed trash cans and started snowing the trestle.  I remember standing at the top and looking down with my brother David.  The snowed area was about 3 feet wide and curved like a snake all the way down.  Honestly, this looked like a piece of cake after dodging those trees in Brattleboro.  

I was first one up with skis.   Matter of fact, the only one up.  There were no stairs, just two by two wood slats...but not really a problem because there was no snow.  The top wasn't done yet so I'd be coming out of a side box.  (for you younger guys, we didn't slide out onto a pole like you do today.  We had different starting "boxes" staggered up the in run.)  If you've ever stood at the top of a hill by yourself, it's very quiet and peaceful.  You're up above the tree tops and usually have quite a view.  There's nothing like it.  A great place to let your mind wander.  But this day thoughts were flying through my mind as I checked my bindings.  "This is different.  Nobody's ever been off this.  Is the trestle too big for the hill?  Am I going leave the hill and drop like I rock out of the sky?"  One thing was for sure, the outrun looked way too short.  I felt like "Mikey" in the Life Cereal commercial..."Dougie'll go first!" 

I put my arm up and yelled down to Roland Tremblay on the knoll.  A handful of people had gathered.  He looked down the landing, then back up to me.  You could hear the excitement in his voice, "How's it look?"  I yelled back, "Great!"  Like a giggling kid he yelled, "Nice and smooth, just take it easy."

It was "nice and smooth."  They said I smiled all the way down the in-run, through the air, and could hear me laughing after I landed.  I had finally jumped the hill behind the school in Lake Placid, but it was now behind a different high school in Newport.  Oh, by the way, the outrun was way too short! 

Side notes from Doug-
Brother Steve, #5, never jumped but competed on the Newport High School Ski Team in cross country.  And Jeffrey, #6, graduated from KUA, and represented the East at the 1980 Jr. Nationals as a Nordic Combined skier.  My Moment of Glory...a Gold Medal in US National Masters Team Jump, with my teammates from the 1975 Eastern Jr. National Team, "Lyndon Larry" Welch, and Jon "Cannonball" Farnham. 

Relaxed for the long flight in high school- Doug circa 1973.