Would you ski down here? - Ben Clatworthy, Courchevel.
Friday August 13, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

Well, would you? 50 of the best ski jumpers in the world are in Courchevel and are about to hurl themselves off the end. PlanetSKI is there too.

So, how exactly do they hold a ski jumping event in August?

Easy, they hold it on grass.

First it is astro-turf for the landing and then normal grass where they slam on the brakes. The whole surface is kept wet throughout.

It's the FIS 4 Nations Summer Ski Jumping World Cup.

This year the competition is being run over three stages during one week in August.

Stage one was held last weekend in Hinterzarten, Germany and stage two is nows underway today in Courchevel, France.

2010 marks 20 years of the 4 Nations Competition and Courchevel has hosted one leg every year.

courchevel_saut_ski_summer_2010-1_400 The events take place on the Olympic ski jumping hill of Le Praz, which was first built to host the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Approximately 80 jumpers take part in the qualifying session.

The 10 best World Cup entrants qualify automatically, so there are 40 places remaining in the competition.

On Friday, the 50 qualifying competitors enter the first jump and the best 30 are selected for the final.

Adam Malysz of Poland currently leads the competition with Thomas Morgenstern of Austria in second place.

The two are separated by just four points.

The double Vancouver Olympic gold medalist Simon Ammann currently lies in a disappointing sixth place.

This year for the first time members of the public are being invited to give ski jumping a go on Courchevel's 25-meter jump, which was officially opened at the event last year by local mayor.

Still takes courage

The final leg of the competition takes place in Einsiedeln, Switzerland on Sunday 15 August.

PlanetSKI reporter Ben Clatworthy is going to be at the event in Courchevel on Friday and will be Tweeting live from the press room on PlanetSKI's news Twitter page - http://www.twitter.com/planetski

If you want another look at the main jump here it is again.

Respect!

No changing your mind half way down