The first IMC was modelled loosely on the Norwegian National Masters Championships, but they have since been expanded to competition on three or more hills.

The IMC was the brainchild of Master jumpers Earle Murphy (left) of Lake Placid and Guttorm Bakke (right) of Jessheim, Norway, who also established an international committee for Masters ski jumping to coordinate IMC and other activities. This Committee has representatives from the U. S., Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Russia, Germany and the Czech Republic, and seeks interest from all ski jumping nations.

Here are reports from IMC 1990 to the present, including all gold, silver and bronze medal winners.

1990 Lake Placid USA

The first International Masters Championships were slated for Steamboat Springs but, due to a scheduling conflict, they had to be moved at the last minute to Lake Placid. Teams were invited from several European countries, but only the Norwegians showed up, and did they show up, about 120 strong. One Canadian and less than twenty U.S. skiers appeared on the start lists. The Norwegian contingent dominated the event, both in numbers and in placings. Organizer, Peter Langlois arranged nine days of activities for the visiting skiers. The Norwegians travelled by bus from the Boston airport directly to Salisbury CT, where many of them ignored jet lag and took part in the annual competition on the 70 meter (K) Satre Hill ski jump. From there, it was off to Lake Placid for a week of skiing, sight seeing, shopping and parties.

Competitions and banquet were squeezed into a less than 40 hour period. The small hill (K-48m) competition was held Thursday night under the lights, in a heavy snowstorm. The quality of the jumping was excellent in spite of the weather.

Participants arriving at the Friday night banquet were greeted by thunder, lightning and pouring rain (yes, on February 16). By morning, the precipitation had turned to swirling snow. On the jumps, the ravages of the rain were covered by just enough snow to make skiing possible, though not appealing. Combined with a gusty wind, the snow conditions convinced many of the jumpers to become spectators. Directly after the jump, many of the competitors loaded into cars and busses and travelled four hours to Brattleboro VT to participate in the annual competition on the 90 meter (K) Harris Hill ski jump.

Here are the medal winners for the first IMC:

                  38 meter (K)                   86 meter (K)

Class 9     1.  Ragnvald Ruud      NOR
 70-74      2.  Olai Lie           NOR

Class 8     1.  Odd Aarnes         NOR
 65-69      2.  Halvor Svartdal    NOR

                  48 meter (K)

Class 7     1.  Nils Eriksen       NOR
 60-64      2.  Herman Sondrrud    NOR
            3.  Aange Nilsen       NOR

Class 6     1.  John Eidem         NOR
 55-59      2.  Sig Malvik         USA
            3.  Ray Aasen          USA

Class 5     1.  Willy Johansen     NOR         Don West          USA
 50-54      2.  Alan Andersen      NOR
            3.  Svein Glomsvoll    NOR

Class 4     1.  Guttorm Bakke      NOR         Jorgen Brenden    NOR
 45-49      2.  Jorgen Brenden     NOR         Harold Skalleberg NOR
            3.  Svein Engmann      NOR         Gjert Andersen    NOR

Class 3     1.  Ronald Jensen      NOR         Ronald Jensen     NOR
 40-44      2.  Kent Inge Hansen   NOR         Kent Inge Hansen  NOR
            3.  Jorgen Nordskog    NOR         Leif Andreassen   NOR

Class 2     1.  Ole Johan Arnestad NOR
 35-39      2.  
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Class 1     1.  
 30-34      2.  
            3.