Team Sizes
AUT 7
GBR 5
GER 8
NOR 9
RUS 3
SLO 6
SUI 10
SWE 5
UKR 1
See Roster
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The 2009 Summer Grand Prix of Masters Ski Jumping in Einsiedeln
Switzerland was such a
success that organizers and participants enthusiastically agreed to do it again in 2009,
so Old Boys from nine nations gathered again in mid-September
in the same Swiss village for another warm weather competitionm,
with the usual fellowship, at the 2009 Masters Summer Ski Jumping Grand Prix.
Numbers
of
Competitors
HS-28 15
HS-50 35
HS-77 26
HS-117 15
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Fifty four skiers competed this year on four hills:
HS-28, 50, 77 & 117 meters. By IMC rule, each
participant selected up to two of the four events.
Thirty seven of the athletes skied in two events, and
eight of them turned in double gold medal performances.
IMC Committee Chairman James Lambert reports that it was a good session of ski jumping, meetings and socializing, with about half of the participants arriving early for a day or two of practice jumping before the two days of competition. James conducted two meetings with representatives of ten nations attending. The first meeting discussed primarily the arrangements for the 2010 IMC/WWMG.
James writes "Erkki Ahitainen came from Finland to attend this meeting. He then left for Slovenia Bled ... Erkki is very focussed on organisation issues for us in Bled. He has asked me to leave it for him to handle -- we agreed and he will keep me updated.
Also a short vote was held, Erkki is now vice President at least until until we can all have a further meeting in Bled 2010."
The second meeting "was focussed on Registration of IMC as a legal organisation."
"In all, the event was immensly well organised by Ralf Schnieders SUI and all our athletes left the event in a upbeat spirited mood."
Notes from the Einsiedeln Summer Grand Prix
The hills are 15 a minute walk from the town -- very convenient for all athletes.
Weather report - cloudy with light rain weather early in the week, then it brightened up for the competition days.
James also reports
- Video distance-measuring on all hills
- Very nice medals, appreciated by the athletes
- Very entertaining announcer for the event
- Fantastic party band in the beer tent
The hosts honored the oldest jumper, Richard Diess (AUT, age 76), with the gift of a huge swiss cow bell.
The small cow bell was given as a consolation to Åke Saloniemi SWE (right) who hurt his hand on a jump.
Sindre Helland of Norway, the only skier to compete
in all 20 winter IMC events, also has a perfect summer
record, skiing in all four Masters GP events, and now
he is accompanied by his son, Joakim, and each of them took
home gold medals.
The Grand Prix welcomed three men and four women in two guest classes for skiers aged 20-29.
A few of the skiers were
disappointed that the hills could not be open for jumping on Sunday following Saturday's final competitions.
Erkki Ahtiainen didn't compete, though he participated in the meeting where he was elected as interim Vice-President for IMC, before going on to Bled to negotiate with the WWMG organizers. But mainly, this trip was a honeymoon for Errki and his bride Ulla (right). Congratulations to both of them! After 17 years together, it's about time to tie the knot.
Finally, a couple of items about the British Old Boys:
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After being hauled away from the Hinterzarten jumps in the helicopter ambulance, Alan
Jones enjoyed the immense pleasure of standing on the top step of the podium with his National Anthem flooding over him. It was the first gold medal for a British ski jumper.
Organizer Ralf Schnyder provided the original hand-written distance sheets to document a new national distance record of 93 meters by James Lambert, eclipsing the old British record of 86 meters by Glynn Pederson who lives and trains in Canada.
[ See Story ]
James claims to be the first IMC President to accept his award dressed in a kilt.
Congratulations to both Alan and James.
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