Ski flying record holder: Silje Opseth Image: AP
In Planica, the International Ski Association is once again finding it difficult to offer female ski jumpers the stage they deserve: more equality on the jumps is more important than chasing records.
Equality at the ski jump? It would be nice – and long overdue. But those responsible at the International Ski Federation (FIS) continue to find it difficult to offer female ski jumpers the stage they deserve. Last weekend, when Raw Air stopped off in Vikersund, a canceled women’s individual competition was canceled without replacement, while the men’s competition, which was also canceled, was rescheduled and they were allowed to fly diligently from Monsterbakken.
That’s unfair – that’s what two outstanding ski jumpers think, who are expressing their protest before the World Cup final in Planica these days in a variety of ways. “We are being trampled on and have no great value,” Norwegian Silje Opseth told the newspaper Dagbladet. “The boys get to go ski flying and do the coolest thing in the world, and we’re on the smallest ski jump. I really have to say, this is disappointing.”
