Ski jumping is a winter sport in which participants compete on length and style on a jump in a ski jumping hill. As of 2011, the longest ski jump is 246.5 meters, set by Johan Remen Evensen in Vikersundbakken.[1] Ski jumping has traditionally focused on a combination of style and length, and it was therefore early seen as unimportant in many milieus to have the longest jump.[2] Particularly the International Ski Federation (FIS) has largely been opposed to the inflation in hill sizes and setting of distance records. For instance, no world records have been set in Olympic, FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Holmenkollen Ski Festival or Four Hills Tournament hills, as these have never been among the largest in the world.
Ski jumping originated in Norway, and has been practiced since time immemorial, using hand-made temporary hills.[3] The first record is credited to Olaf Rye, a soldier who set up a show spectated by his fellow soldiers in 1808, reaching 9.5 meters on Vardebakken hill in Eidsberg, Norway. This small hill was at Lekum gård next to the Eidsberg's church.[4]
Sondre Norheim, credited as the father of modern skiing,[5] made the second official record at 19.5 meters in 1868. Tim Ashburn says in his book The history of ski jumping that Norheim's longest jump in the circular track in Haugli ground in 1868 should have been measured at 31.5 meters (103 ft),[6] but that newspapers in Christiania reported that the length "was little exaggerated", so official record is everywhere written as 19.5 meters (64 ft).
The sport quickly spread to Finland, the United States and Canada, where some of the subsequent records were set.[7] Early jumping competitions were only scored by style, and it was seen as disruptive to attempt to jump further.[2] Not until 1901 was a scoring system for distance introduced.[8] With the construction of Bloudkova Velikanka in Planica, Yugoslavia, in 1934,[9] the more extreme ski flying was introduced. With one exception, since then all of the length records have been set in six of the world's seven ski flying hills, of which five remain in use.[10] In 1936, Josef Bradl was the first to reach the 100 meter mark.[11] FIS was long opposed to ski flying, and it has never been included in the Olympic or Nordic World Ski Championships. However, since 1972, the FIS Ski-Flying World Championships was introduced, and there have also been annual ski flying jumps in as part of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup. The first to reach 200 meters was Toni Nieminen in 1994; at the time, ski jumpers did not receive distance points fro the part of the jumps exceeding 191 meters.[12]
The distance is measured from the lip of the takeoff to the place on the hill where the skier's back foot is when he touches the ground. To qualify, the jump must be made in a sanctioned competition, or official trial or qualification runs for these, with a system to control the actual length. To win a competition, a jumper needs both distance and style, the latter of which is achieved by attaining a proper Telemark landing; therefore jumpers are not motivated to jump as far as possible, only as far necessary to attain a good landing. Jumps are invalid if the jumper falls, defined as touching the ground with his hands or body before reaching the fall line. Originally, jumps were measured in alen, but this has since been replaced by meters, with an accuracy of half a meter. Some old United States and Canadian records were recorded in feet. Traditionally, people would stand along the hill for every meter, and a crew member would raise their hand if the jumper landed on their meter. Today this is done with camera technology.[13]
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The following is a list of all world records set distance in ski jumping. The list contains the length in meters and feet, the year the record was set, the athlete and the country they competed for, the location and country of the venue, the name of the hill and the ski manufacturer.[1][10]
| Length (m) |
Length (ft) |
Year | Athlete | Country | Location | Hill | Skis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 246.5 | 809 | 2011 | Johan Remen Evensen | Norway | Vikersund, Norway | Vikersundbakken | Elan |
| 243.0 | 797 | 2011 | Johan Remen Evensen | Norway | Vikersund, Norway | Vikersundbakken | Elan |
| 239.0 | 784 | 2005 | Bjørn Einar Romøren | Norway | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Fischer |
| 235.5 | 773 | 2005 | Matti Hautamäki | Finland | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 234.5 | 769 | 2005 | Bjørn Einar Romøren | Norway | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Fischer |
| 231.0 | 758 | 2005 | Tommy Ingebrigtsen | Norway | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Rossignol |
| 231.0 | 758 | 2003 | Matti Hautamäki | Finland | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 228.5 | 750 | 2003 | Matti Hautamäki | Finland | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 227.5 | 746 | 2003 | Matti Hautamäki | Finland | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 225.0 | 738 | 2003 | Adam Małysz | Poland | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Elan |
| 225.0 | 738 | 2000 | Andreas Goldberger | Austria | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Fischer |
| 224.5 | 737 | 2000 | Thomas Hörl | Austria | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Fischer |
| 219.5 | 720 | 1999 | Tommy Ingebrigtsen | Norway | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 214.5 | 704 | 1999 | Martin Schmitt | Germany | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Rossignol |
| 212.0 | 696 | 1997 | Lasse Ottesen | Norway | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Rossignol |
| 210.0 | 689 | 1997 | Espen Bredesen | Norway | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 209.0 | 686 | 1994 | Espen Bredesen | Norway | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 203.0 | 666 | 1994 | Toni Nieminen | Finland | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 196.0 | 643 | 1994 | Martin Höllwarth | Austria | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 194.0 | 636 | 1987 | Piotr Fijas | Poland | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Elan |
| 193.0 | 633 | 1987 | Vegard Opaas | Norway | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Elan |
| 191.0 | 627 | 1986 | Andreas Felder | Austria | Bad Mitterndorf, Austria | Kulm | Atomic |
| 191.0 | 627 | 1985 | Matti Nykänen | Finland | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Kneissl |
| 187.0 | 614 | 1985 | Matti Nykänen | Finland | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Kneissl |
| 186.0 | 610 | 1985 | Mike Holland | United States | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | — |
| 185.0 | 607 | 1984 | Matti Nykänen | Finland | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | Kneissl |
| 182.0 | 597 | 1984 | Matti Nykänen | Finland | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | Kneissl |
| 182.0 | 597 | 1984 | Matti Nykänen | Finland | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | Kneissl |
| 181.0 | 594 | 1983 | Pavel Ploc | Czechoslovakia | Harrachov, Czechoslovakia | Čerťák | Kneissl |
| 180.0 | 591 | 1981 | Armin Kogler | Austria | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 176.0 | 577 | 1980 | Armin Kogler | Austria | Harrachov, Czechoslovakia | Čerťák | — |
| 176.0 | 577 | 1979 | Klaus Ostwald | East Germany | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | — |
| 176.0 | 577 | 1976 | Toni Innauer | Austria | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 174.0 | 571 | 1976 | Falco Weißpflog | East Germany | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 174.0 | 571 | 1976 | Toni Innauer | Austria | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 173.0 | 568 | 1976 | Geir Ove Berg | Norway | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 169.0 | 554 | 1974 | Walter Steiner | Switzerland | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Elan |
| 169.0 | 554 | 1973 | Heinz Wosipiwo | East Germany | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 165.0 | 541 | 1969 | Manfred Wolf | East Germany | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | — |
| 164.0 | 538 | 1969 | Jiří Raška | Czechoslovakia | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | — |
| 160.0 | 525 | 1969 | Bjørn Wirkola | Norway | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | — |
| 156.0 | 512 | 1969 | Jiří Raška | Czechoslovakia | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | — |
| 156.0 | 512 | 1969 | Bjørn Wirkola | Norway | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | — |
| 154.0 | 505 | 1968 | Reinhold Bachler | Austria | Vikersund, Norway | Vikersundbakken | — |
| 150.0 | 492 | 1967 | Lars Grini | Norway | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 148.0 | 486 | 1967 | Kjell Sjöberg | Sweden | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 147.0 | 482 | 1967 | Lars Grini | Norway | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 146.0 | 479 | 1966 | Bjørn Wirkola | Norway | Vikersund, Norway | Vikersundbakken | — |
| 145.0 | 476 | 1966 | Bjørn Wirkola | Norway | Vikersund, Norway | Vikersundbakken | — |
| 145.0 | 476 | 1965 | Peter Lesser | East Germany | Bad Mitterndorf, Austria | Kulm | — |
| 144.0 | 472 | 1964 | Nano Zandanel | Italy | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 142.0 | 466 | 1964 | Dalibor Motejlek | Czechoslovakia | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 141.0 | 463 | 1964 | Kjell Sjöberg | Sweden | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 141.0 | 463 | 1962 | Peter Lesser | East Germany | Bad Mitterndorf, Austria | Kulm | — |
| 141.0 | 463 | 1961 | Jože Šlibar | Yugoslavia | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 139.0 | 456 | 1951 | Tauno Luiro | Finland | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 135.0 | 443 | 1950 | Dan Netzell | Sweden | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 127.0 | 417 | 1950 | Sepp Weiler | West Germany | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 124.0 | 407 | 1950 | Willi Gantschnigg | Austria | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 120.0 | 394 | 1948 | Fritz Tschannen | Switzerland | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 118.0 | 387 | 1941 | Rudi Gehring | Germany | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 112.0 | 367 | 1941 | Paul Krauss | Germany | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 111.0 | 364 | 1941 | Hans Lahr | Germany | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 109.0 | 358 | 1941 | Franz Mair | Germany | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 108.0 | 354 | 1941 | Rudi Gehring | Germany | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 107.0 | 351 | 1938 | Josef Bradl | Austria | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 101.5 | 333 | 1936 | Josef Bradl | Austria | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 99.5 | 326 | 1935 | Fritz Kainersdörfer | Switzerland | Ponte di Legno, Italy | Trampolino Gigante Corno d’Aola | — |
| 99.0 | 325 | 1935 | Reidar Andersen | Norway | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 98.0 | 322 | 1935 | Reidar Andersen | Norway | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 95.0 | 312 | 1935 | Stanisław Marusarz | Poland | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 93.0 | 305 | 1935 | Reidar Andersen | Norway | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 92.0 | 302 | 1934 | Birger Ruud | Norway | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 87.5 | 287 | 1933 | Robert Lymburne | Canada | Revelstoke, Canada | Nels Nelsen Hill | — |
| 87.0 | 285 | 1933 | Henri Ruchet | Switzerland | Villars, Switzerland | Tremplin de Bretaye | — |
| 86.0 | 282 | 1933 | Sigmund Ruud | Norway | Villars, Switzerland | Tremplin de Bretaye | — |
| 84.0 | 276 | 1933 | Sigmund Ruud | Norway | Villars, Switzerland | Tremplin de Bretaye | — |
| 82.0 | 269 | 1932 | Robert Lymburne | Canada | Revelstoke, Canada | Nels Nelsen Hill | — |
| 81.5 | 267 | 1931 | Sigmund Ruud | Norway | Davos, Switzerland | Bolgenschanze | — |
| 77.4 | 254 | 1931 | Alf Engen | Norway | Salt Lake City, United States | Ecker Hill | — |
| 76.5 | 251 | 1931 | Birger Ruud | Norway | Odnes, Søndre Land, Norway | Odnesbakken | — |
| 75.0 | 246 | 1930 | Adolph Badrutt | Switzerland | Pontresina, Switzerland | Bernina-Roseg-Schanze | — |
| 73.1 | 240 | 1925 | Nels Nelsen | Canada | Revelstoke, Canada | Nels Nelsen Hill | — |
| 69.8 | 229 | 1921 | Henry Hall | United States | Revelstoke, Canada | Nels Nelsen Hill | — |
| 65.2 | 214 | 1920 | Anders Haugen | United States | Dillon, United States | Haugen Hill | — |
| 64.9 | 213 | 1919 | Anders Haugen | United States | Dillon, United States | Haugen Hill | — |
| 62.2 | 204 | 1918 | Henry Hall | United States | Steamboat Springs, United States | Howelsen Hill | — |
| 61.9 | 203 | 1917 | Henry Hall | United States | Steamboat Springs, United States | Howelsen Hill | — |
| 58.5 | 192 | 1916 | Ragnar Omtvedt | United States | Steamboat Springs, United States | Howelsen Hill | — |
| 54.0 | 177 | 1915 | Reidar Amble Ommundsen | Norway | Mjøndalen, Norway | Vikkollen | — |
| 51.5 | 169 | 1913 | Ragnar Omtvedt | United States | Ironwood, United States | Wolverine Hill | — |
| 48.2 | 158 | 1913 | Ragnar Omtvedt | United States | Ironwood, United States | Wolverine Hill | — |
| 48.0 | 157 | 1913 | Thorleif Knudsen | Norway | Davos, Switzerland | Bolgenschanze | — |
| 47.0 | 154 | 1912 | Gunnar Andersen | Norway | Geithus, Modum, Norway | Gustadbakken | — |
| 46.3 | 152 | 1911 | Anders Haugen | Norway | Ironwood, United States | Wolverine Hill | — |
| 45.0 | 148 | 1909 | Harald Smith | Norway | Davos, Switzerland | Bolgenschanze | — |
| 43.0 | 141 | 1909 | Harald Smith | Norway | Bardonecchia, Italy | Trampolino Campo Smith | — |
| 42.1 | 138 | 1909 | Oscar Gundersen | Norway | Chippewa Falls, United States | Chippewa Falls Ski Jump | — |
| 41.0 | 135 | 1902 | Nils Gjestvang | Norway | Geithus, Modum, Norway | Gustadbakken | — |
| 38.5 | 126 | 1902 | Nils Gjestvang | Norway | Geithus, Modum, Norway | Gustadbakken | — |
| 35.5 | 116 | 1900 | Olaf Tandberg | Norway | Bærum, Norway | Solbergbakken | — |
| 32.5 | 107 | 1899 | Morten Hansen | Norway | Bærum, Norway | Solbergbakken | — |
| 32.5 | 107 | 1899 | Asbjørn Nilssen | Norway | Bærum, Norway | Solbergbakken | — |
| 31.5 | 103 | 1897 | Svein Solid | Norway | Morgedal, Norway | Hegnibakken | — |
| 31.4 | 103 | 1893 | Mikkjel Hemmestveit | Norway | Red Wing, United States | McSorley Hill | — |
| 31.1 | 102 | 1891 | Mikkjel Hemmestveit | Norway | Red Wing, United States | McSorley Hill | — |
| 30.0 | 98 | 1890 | G. Bye | Norway | Blyberget, Norway | — | — |
| 26.0 | 85 | 1886 | Johannes Nordgard | Norway | Seljord, Norway | Flatdalbakken | — |
| 22.0 | 72 | 1881 | Sveinung Svalastoga | Norway | Ullern, Oslo, Norway | Kastellbakken | — |
| 20.0 | 66 | 1879 | Olaf Haugann | Norway | Ullern, Oslo, Norway | Kastellbakken | — |
| 19.5 | 64 | 1868 | Sondre Norheim | Norway | Brukenberg, Kviteseid, Telemark, Norway | Hauglibakken | — |
| 9.5 | 31 | 1808 | Olaf Rye | Norway | Eidsberg, Norway | Vardebakken | — |
If a jumper touches the ground with his hands or body before reaching the fall line, the jump is counted as a fall and the jumper receives a severe penalty to the style score, although the jumper is not disqualified from the race. Such jumps are also not regarded as setting world records in distance. The following is a list of jumps which would have set world records, had the jumper not fallen.
| Length (m) |
Length (ft) |
Year | Athlete | Country | Location | Hill | Skis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 240.0 | 787 | 2005 | Janne Ahonen | Finland | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 234.5 | 769 | 2005 | Andreas Widhölzl | Austria | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 232.5 | 763 | 2003 | Veli-Matti Lindström | Finland | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Fischer |
| 219.0 | 719 | 1999 | Martin Schmitt | Germany | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Rossignol |
| 213.0 | 699 | 1997 | Dieter Thoma | Germany | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Elan |
| 207.0 | 679 | 1994 | Christof Duffner | Germany | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | — |
| 202.0 | 663 | 1994 | Andreas Goldberger | Austria | Planica, Slovenia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Elan |
| 194.0 | 636 | 1992 | Christof Duffner | Germany | Harrachov, Czechoslovakia | Čerťák | Atomic |
| 196.0 | 643 | 1991 | André Kiesewetter | Germany | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | — |
| 192.0 | 630 | 1987 | Andreas Felder | Austria | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Atomic |
| 181.0 | 594 | 1981 | Bogdan Norčič | Yugoslavia | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Elan |
| 179.0 | 587 | 1979 | Axel Zitzmann | East Germany | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | — |
| 177.0 | 581 | 1974 | Walter Steiner | Switzerland | Planica, Yugoslavia | Letalnica Bratov Gorišek | Elan |
| 179.0 | 587 | 1973 | Walter Steiner | Switzerland | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 175.0 | 574 | 1973 | Walter Steiner | Switzerland | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 176.0 | 577 | 1973 | Takao Ito | Japan | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 166.0 | 545 | 1973 | Jochen Danneberg | East Germany | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 166.0 | 545 | 1969 | Ladislav Divila | Czechoslovakia | Vikersund, Norway | Vikersundbakken | — |
| 147.0 | 482 | 1965 | Peter Lesser | East Germany | Bad Mitterndorf, Austria | Kulm | — |
| 144.0 | 472 | 1965 | Bjørn Wirkola | Norway | Bad Mitterndorf, Austria | Kulm | — |
| 145.0 | 476 | 1961 | Wolfgang Happle | West Germany | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 139.0 | 456 | 1958 | Max Bolkart | West Germany | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 130.0 | 427 | 1950 | Hans Eder | Austria | Oberstdorf, Germany | Heini-Klopfer-Skiflugschanze | — |
| 121.0 | 397 | 1948 | Charles Blum | Switzerland | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 120.0 | 394 | 1948 | Janez Polda | Yugoslavia | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 103.5 | 340 | 1935 | Olav Ulland | Norway | Ponte di Legno, Italy | Trampolino Gigante Corno d’Aola | — |
| 94.8 | 311 | 1935 | Alf Engen | Norway | Salt Lake City, United States | Ecker Hill | — |
| 89.0 | 292 | 1934 | Per Johnson | Norway | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 89.0 | 292 | 1934 | Gregor Höll | Austria | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
| 95.0 | 312 | 1934 | Sigmund Ruud | Norway | Planica, Yugoslavia | Bloudkova Velikanka | — |
Christof Duffner jumped and fell at 194 meters in Harrachov 1992. It's claimed that this jump was actually 205 meters long, but it was never officially recognized and measured as that distance or wriiten down on a paper.
André Kiesewetter's invalid 196 meters from Planica 1991, was then written down for safety reasons to 192 meters, to prevent wide-hunting.
Alf Engen jumped 94.8 meters standing in a Salt Lake City 1935 training series, otherwise it would be a world record.