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Weather's Crucial to Nordic Jumping
In Nordic jumping, the athletes literally fly further than the length of a football field. So you can imagine they like to have a good handle on the weather and what it can do.
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(Jan. 19, 2002)------One of the official forecasters for the Olympic Games takes a closer look--Our very own Len Randolph.
Alan Johnson/Ski Jump Manager, SLOC: "IN THEORY THE JUMPER MAKES A 100 PERCENT COMMITMENT RIGHT BACK THERE ON THE TAKE OFF TO GO UP AND FORWARD AS AGGRESIVELY AND AS HARD AS HE POSSIBLY CAN. BRINGING HIS SKIS UP AND GETTING INTO A FLIGHT POSITION AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE."
In nordic jumping, commitment is a big word, as you can well imagine.
But in order for the jumper to make that commitment, other theories involved in Nordic jumping have to be ideal, one of which is the hill itself.
ALAN: "THIS PARTICULAR JUMP IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD THAT IS REALLY EMBEDDED INTO THE HILL TO THIS EXTENT. SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEE A LANDING HILL LIKE THAT, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE WITH THE WHOLE HILL."
Basically it acts as a shield--Winds ripping across the Wasatch can get up to 50 or even 60 miles-per-hour up here, and that's about nine-times stronger a wind than is necessary to cancel a competition.
But with this design, the games can still go on!
ALAN: "THAT WIND COMES ACROSS THE TOP AND RECIRCULATES ALMOST LIKE AN EDDY. IN A STREAM OR A RIVER. Len: It goes right over you? Alan: IT GOES RIGHT OVER THE TOP AND ACTUALLY TURNS AROUND AND COMES BACK UP INTO YOUR FACE. SO MORE TIMES THAN NOT, IT CREATES OPTIMAL JUMPING CONDITIONS FROM A CONDITION THAT'S NOT EVEN A CONSIDERATION."
Len Randolph/Weather Specialist: "WE'RE AT THE TOP OF THE 120 METER JUMP. THIS IS THE BIG DOG OF THE OLYMPICS. AND SO WHEN THE JUMPERS COME DOWN THIS RUN AND LEAVE THE END OF THE JUMP, THAT'S WHEN THEY ENTER MY WORLD-- THEY'RE IN THE ATMOSPHERE."
And the atmosphere at the Utah Olympic Park is different than anywhere else.
ALAN: "FIRST OFF ALL, THIS JUMP IS AT ABOUT 21-HUNDRED METERS OR ABOUT 7,100 FEET. IT'S ABOUT 8 TO 10 PERCENT LESS DENSE, THE ATMOSPHERE AS IT WOULD BE AT SEA LEVEL. AND WITH AREODYNAMICS WITH WHAT THEY ARE, WITH LIFT AND DRAG, WE NEED MORE AIRSPEED HERE GENERALLY SPEAKING THAN A JUMP AT SEA LEVEL. So you don't go as far? EXACTLY."
Just so you can get an idea of how critical weather can be, just listen to what jumpers sound like as they launch off this ramp at 57-miles an hour.
The sound is a vortex. In other words, as the jumper pushes through the air, he creates spinning columns of turbulent air, causing the sound.
Now are you getting the idea of why weather is so important? Just imagine jumping with crosswinds.
ALAN: ANYTIME YOU'D HAVE ANY KIND OF WIND FROM THE SIDE OR THE BACK SAY IN EXCESS OF 8 MPH WHICH ISN'T THAT STRONG, YOU'RE OUT OF BUSINESS. ABSOLUTLEY NO WAY YOU CAN JUMP BECAUSE IT WOULD BE TOO DANGEROUS. Len: No jumping that day. EXACTLY."
As you can see, weather in this event can become a very critical factor.
So what do the world athletes hope to see here next month for 20 days?
ALAN: "WELL FROM THE JUMPING STANDPOINT, FROM THE SKI JUMPER YOU'D WANT PROBABLY NOT QUITE EXACLTY CALM, MAYBE ONE OR TWO METERS PER SECOND HEADWIND. NOT COMPELTELY LIKE IT WAS HERE A FEW MINUTES AGO. JUST A LIGHT TRICKLE OF AIR FLOWING UP THE HILL. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY PERFECT."
But maybe Mother Nature could give the optimal conditions to the U.S. Ski Team.
ALAN: "PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR U.S. SKI TEAM WOULD BE DEAD CALM FOR EVERYONE, 2 METER PER SECOND HEADWIND FOR THE U.S. SKIERS." (Laugh)
By the way, the longest jump ever recorded in the world was when Austrian Andi Goldberger flew 225-meters in Planica, Slovenia last March.
