Letalnica bratov Gorišek

Letalnica bratov Gorišek
Operator	ZŠRS Planica
Opened	6 March 1969 (test) 21 March 1969 (official)
Renovated	1979, 2000, 2003, 2005
Expanded	1985, 1994, 2015
Closed	2014
Size
K-spot	200 m
Hill size	225 m
Official hill record	248.5 m (815 ft) Peter Prevc (20 March 2015)
Top events
Ski Flying World Championships	1972, 1979, 1985, 1994, 2004, 2010, 2020
World Cup	1987, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016

Letalnica bratov Gorišek (English: Flying hill by brothers Gorišek) is a 1969 ski flying hill located in Planica, Slovenia. Hill is named after the original constructors and brothers Vlado (alias "Lado") and Janez Gorišek. With total of 28 world records set it is the world leading ski jump hill in this statistics. They installed the world's steepest zip-line with average incline at 38.33% (20.9°) and maximum incline at 58.7% (30.5°) incline which is opened since 19 September 2015.

It's the biggest of totally eight hills at Planica Nordic Center. Yugoslavian ski jumper Miro Oman was honoured to made a premiere 135 m (443 ft) long jump on 6 March 1969 at hill test. The first ever FIS Ski Flying World Championships was organized on this hill in 1972. After Matti Nykänen set world record 191 meters at SFWC 1985, new rule by FIS was accepted where no points for jumps over this distance was awarded in order to prevent world record hunting. On 17 March 1994 Andreas Goldberger touched the snow with his hand at 202 m and made first ever over two hundred meters jump, but it was invalid. Just a few minutes later Toni Nieminen landed on his feet at 203 m and officially became the first man in history who jumped over two hundred meters. This hill is a historic place where man for the first time jumped over 160 m, 170 m, 180 m, 190 m, 200 m, 210 m, 220 m and 230 m but didn't always necessary standing on the feet. Planica is the only candidate for FIS Ski Flying World Championships in 2020 and is currently just waiting for the official confirmation of International Ski Federation.

History

Construction (1967-1968)

Vlado Gorišek and Miro Oman
(first and third from the left)

Janez Gorišek

Vlado Gorišek

Velikanka bratov Gorišek (original name) was planned, constructed and developed by Slovenian constructors, engineers and brothers Vlado and Janez Gorišek. At the time leading engineer of Planica was a Bloudek's succeedor Stano Pelan, who proposed to enlarge Bloudkova velikanka but at the end they rather decided for totally new hill on another location.

At that time Janez Gorišek was working as an engineer in Libya where he actually draw a plan and profile for new hill called Velikanka bratov Gorišek. Construction started in summer of 1967 and was mainly completed in late 1968. During the construction Janez was still working in Africa and that's why his older brother Vlado Gorišek (more known as "Lado") was fully in charge of the construction site. Brothers communicated on the phone but they mostly exchanged long letters. Original calculation point was at K-153, steepest landing zone part at 42°, inrun was 145 meters long and height difference between take-off table and bottom of the hill was 127 meters.

Opening (1969)

In February 1969 they built a complete new judge tower at 100 meters mark, which was 12 meters high and 8 meters wide. On 6 March 1969 hill was first time tested and Miro Oman from Yugoslavia was honored to be the first man to jump on the hill. He jumped 135 meters from the second gate and set the first hill record.^[1]

Hill was officially opened and took three days competition from 21–23 March 1969 called KOP Ski Flying Week or Planica Ski Flying Week. There were 60 jumpers from 15 countries. Three days of competition with three jumps each day: 1 best jump from Friday competition and two best jumps from each Saturday and Sunday counted for final result. Jiří Raška was the winner where a total of 90,000 people has gathered in the three days of competition. World record was improved five times and finally stopped at 165 meters set by Manfred Wolf from East Germany.

Beno Hvala (1969); Slovenian TV director, first in Planica. Known as inventor of sports' slow motion

Andreas Goldberger (202 m touch) in 1994 as first man in history jumped over 200 m

First Ski Flying World Championships (1972)

First ever FIS Ski Flying World Championships 1972 was organized in Planica. Swiss ski jumper Walter Steiner became the first ski flying world champion. Calculation point was changed to K-165.

Three egrets logo (1974)

Egret as the symbol of ski flying and official logo of Planica was designed by Bine Rogelj and Angelo Oman in 1974 to honour the 40th anniversary of international ski jumping in this famous valley. Slovene ski jumper and painter Bine Rogelj at first had a plan to engrave "image of an Egret flying" on a tombstone of another famous Slovene ski jumper Janez Polda. Slovene architects Angelo Oman and Rogelj together made a final decision of a new logo with three egrets flying in swarming formation.^[2]

KOP Ski Flying Week or. Planica Ski Flying Week 1974 event was organized for the second time and the winner was Swiss ski jumper Walter Steiner who jumped 169 m (544 ft) and tied the world record from Oberstdorf set in a previous year by East German ski jumper Heinz Wossipiwo. Walter Steiner jumped even 177 m (581 ft) but he touched the ground with his hands.

KOP Ski Flying Week or. Planica Ski Flying Week 1977 was organized for the third and the last time in Planica. Winner of the competition was Austrian ski jumper Reinhold Bachler who jumped 172 m (564 ft) and set the new hill. Yugoslavian ski jumper Bogdan Norčič jumped 181 m (594 ft) but he fell.

The FIS Ski Flying World Championships 1979 was organized in Planica for the second time. Austrian ski jumper Armin Kogler became the world champion. East German ski jumper Klaus Ostwald tied the world record at 176 m (577 ft).

In the honor of Planica's 50th anniversary organizing committee decided to modernize the hill. First big renovation works were done in summer and fall of 1984. Soldiers from Yugoslavian army, volunteers and different working organizations helped at the conbstruction site under command of Gorišek brothers. 1500 m cubic meters of material was dug out and filled it into the landing zone. They also dug out 300 m cubic meters of material from inrun. Old wooden inrun tower was replaced with steel and take-off table pushed back for 5 meters.

Nykänen's 191 m and new rule (1985)

Planica for the third time hosted FIS Ski Flying World Championships 1985. On the official training three new world records were set. First Mike Holland with 186 m and soon after Matti Nykänen with 187 m and 191 m. This last Nykänen's world record scared and confused FIS so much that in the next season new unreasonable rule in ski flying was introduced. It meant that points for jumps longer than 191 meters won't be calculated in the final score and this way stop world record race. On the first day of competition there was a record attendance of about 80-100 thousand people. Ski flying world champion became Matti Nykänen.

First World Cup and last parallel record (1987)

For the first time two World Cup ski flying individual events were organized on this hill in 1987. Polish ski jumper Piotr Fijas set the last parallel style world record on the first day of competition when he jumped 194 m (636 ft). But this world record was recognized seven years later at FIS congress in Rio de Janeiro when they cancelled this controversial 191 meters rule.

Next event on this hill were two World Cup ski flying individual events in 1991. German ski jumper André Kiesewetter touched the ground at the world record distance 196 m (643 ft). This is the longest ever parallel style jump although it's invalid.

First over 200 m and fairplay (1994)

Competition counted both as FIS Ski Flying World Championships 1994 and for the World Cup points at the same time. At the first round of the free training on 17 March 1994 Austrian ski jumper Andreas Goldberger touched the snow with his hand at 202 m and made first ever over two hundred meters jump, but it was invalid. Just a few minutes later Finnish ski jumper Toni Nieminen landed on his feet at 203 m and officially became the first man in history who jumped over two hundred meters. The last world record of this year was set on the next day in qualifying round when Norwegian ski jumper Espen Bredesen landed at 209 m(686 ft).

Two days competition rules at that time counted separately each day with two rounds for World Cup points and total result of both days with four rounds as ski flying world championships title. However, first day of competition was cancelled because of the strong wind. Second day of competition with now total of two rounds counted as Ski Flying World Championships and World Cup event. Czech ski jumper Jaroslav Sakala (189 m, 185 m) became world champion. Norgegian ski jumper Espen Bredesen (178 m, 182 m) was second and Italian ski jumper Roberto Cecon (160 m, 199 m). at press conference right after the medal ceremony Espen Bredesen gave his silver medal in the spirit of fairplay to Roberto Cecon and took his bronze medal instead. Although official results didn't change, he thought it was the right thing to do, because of that crazy rule, they counted Cecon's points only up to 191 meters although he jumped 199 meters in the last round.

This was the last ski flying competition under those rules. Just two months later it was cancelled at FIS congress in Rio de Janeiro in 1994.

Peterka frenzy and fairplay (1997)

Two World Cup individual events were organized for season finale in 1997. Everyone in Slovenia expected from very young and unexperienced Slovenian ski jumper Primož Peterka, who was at the time extremely popular in his homeland, he will become a first Slovenian with World Cup overall title. TV ratings in Slovenia that weekend were and still are record high and everyone was watching. A record 130,000 people in total has gathered in those three days of competition.

Primož Peterka fall at qualifying round and injured himself but didn't have his own physiotherapist. That's why his coach kindly asked German physiotherapist from his main rival Dieter Thoma to help Peterka by this injury. In the spirit of fairplay he helped him and he could normally compete for overall title in the next two days. In the first day of competition world record was two times improved (210m, 212 m) in the trial round. Peterka was fourth in the first event and became the overall winner in front of 70,000 frenzy people and Thoma's hopes ended. German ski jumper Dieter Thoma fell at world record distance of 213 m (698 ft). When Peterka lifted overall globe, huge crowd of fanatic people jumped over the fences and ran under the medal ceremony stage.

Two world records (1999)

Three World Cup individual events were organized for season final in 1999. In the first day of competition German ski jumper Martin Schmitt fell at world record distance of 219 m (719 ft) but very soon in the next round, he stood on the feet and set the new world record at 214.5 m (704 ft). On the next day Norwegian ski jumper Tommy Ingebrigtsen improved world record at 219.5 m (720 ft).

First ever ski flying team event (2000)

For the first time in history ski flying team was organized for season final in 2000. Two world records were set by Austrian ski jumpers Thomas Hörl (224.5 m) and Andreas Goldberger (225 m). Germany became the first ever team ski flying winners.

Hautamäki's dominance (2003)

Two World Cup individual and one team events were organized for season final in 2003. Polish ski jumper Adam Małysz at first equaled Andreas Goldberger's world record at 225 m (738 ft). Then Finnish ski jumper Matti Hautamäki set series of three world records (227.5 m, 228.5m and 231 m) who won all three, including team, events. Finnish ski jumper Veli-Matti Lindström fell at world record distance of 232.5 m (763 ft).

Hill was renamed (2004)

In honour of FIS Ski Flying World Championships in 2004 hill was modified and renamed and not to be confused with the legendary Bloudek Giant, a large hill just a few meters away. The literal translation of Velikanka (gigantic, extra large hill), meanwhile literal translation of the flying hill. For the first time in history of FIS Ski Flying World Championships team event was organized.

Outstanding final round (2005)

Two World Cup individual events were organized for season final in 2005. It all started on 17 March 2005 on training when Austrian ski jumper Andreas Widhölzl fell at world record distance of 234.5 m (769 ft).

Last day of the season was just fantastic with four official and one invalid world records and unbelievable final round. It started in trial round when Norwegian ski jumpers Tommy Ingebrigtsen euqaled world record at 231 m (731 ft) and soon after him Bjørn Einar Romøren set new world record at 234.5 m (769 ft). It continued in the final round where we have seen series of jumps over 220 and 230 meters. In the final round Finnish ski jumper Matti Hautamäki for the fourth time in his career improved the world record at 235.5 m (773 ft) but that didn't last long. Just three minutes later Bjørn Einar Romøren again set the world record 239 m (784 ft) which lasted for six years. As the last jumper on the top Finnish ski jumper Janne Ahonen had a hard crash on his back at world record distance of 240 m (787 ft). Years later Ahonen released his autobiography where he confessed that he was drunk during this record jump with fall.

Ammann dominated World Championships (2010)

Planica got new chairlift, judge tower renovated, landing zone widened, profile adjusted and take-off angle lowered to keep jumpers closer to the ground. All this was needed to fulfill international FIS standards and to keep the competition.

For the record sixth time Planica hosted FIS Ski Flying World Championships 2010. In two day four series event, Swiss ski jumper Simon Ammann became individual ski flying world champion. In two series Austria became team event world champion. Fifty-five thousand people has gathered on the second day of individual competition and eighty-two thousand people in whole week.

Reopened (2015)

Hill was completely renovated and opened after one two years break. New profile was drawn by Janez Gorišek with help of his son Sebastjan Gorišek who is a constructor too. The hill's new calculation point is at K-200, hill size at HS 225 and with new height difference at 135 meters. Inrun tower and take-off table are made of concrete. Take-off table will is now 5 meter higher and pushed back for 12 meters the old one.

Two World Cup individual and one team events were organized for season finale in 2015. Team of Slovenia who won both individual and team events and set the hill record totally dominated this year competitions.

Events

Landing zone (2005)

Old inrun (2005)

Old inrun (2005)

Date	Hillsize	Competition	Winner	Second	Third
21-23 Mar 1969	K-153	KOP	Jiří Raška	Bjørn Wirkola	Manfred Wolf
26 Mar 1972	K-165	SFWC	Walter Steiner	Heinz Wosipiwo	Jiří Raška
15-17 Mar 1974	K-165	KOP	Walter Steiner	Esko Rautionaho	Dag Fossum
18-20 Mar 1977	K-165	KOP	Reinhold Bachler	Thomas Meisinger	Ladislav Jirásko
17-18 Mar 1979	K-1?5	SFWC	Armin Kogler	Axel Zitzmann	Piotr Fijas
16-17 Mar 1985	K-185	SFWC	Matti Nykänen	Jens Weißflog	Pavel Ploc
14 Mar 1987	K-185	WC	Andreas Felder	Ole Gunnar Fidjestøl	Thomas Klauser
15 Mar 1987	K-185	WC	Ole Gunnar Fidjestøl	Matjaž Zupan	Piotr Fijas
23 Mar 1991	K-185	WC	Staffan Tällberg	Stephan Zünd	André Kiesewetter
24 Mar 1991	K-185	WC	Ralph Gebstedt	Stefan Horngacher	Dieter Thoma
19 Mar 1994	K-185	SFWC(d1) / WC	day one; strong wind
20 Mar 1994	K-185	SFWC(d2) / WC	Jaroslav Sakala	Espen Bredesen	Roberto Cecon
World Championships Overall (19-20 Mar)			Jaroslav Sakala	Espen Bredesen	Roberto Cecon
22 Mar 1997	K-185	WC	Takanobu Okabe	Kazuyoshi Funaki	Jani Soininen
23 Mar 1997	K-185	WC	Akira Higashi	Primož Peterka	Lasse Ottesen
19 Mar 1999	K-185	WC	Martin Schmitt	Kazuyoshi Funaki	Christof Duffner
20 Mar 1999	K-185	WC	Hideharu Miyahira	Martin Schmitt	Noriaki Kasai
21 Mar 1999	K-185	WC	Noriaki Kasai	Hideharu Miyahira	Martin Schmitt
18 Mar 2000	K-185	WC-T first ever ski flying team event	Germany Sven Hannawald Hansjörg Jäkle Martin Schmitt Michael Uhrmann	Finland Ville Kantee Risto Jussilainen Jani Soininen Janne Ahonen	Japan Takanobu Okabe Kazuyoshi Funaki Hideharu Miyahira Noriaki Kasai
19 Mar 2000	K-185	WC	Sven Hannawald	Janne Ahonen	Andreas Goldberger
17 Mar 2001	K-185	WC-T	Finland Jussi Hautamäki Risto Jussilainen Tami Kiuru Veli-Matti Lindström	Austria Wolfgang Loitzl Andreas Goldberger Martin Koch Stefan Horngacher	Japan Hideharu Miyahira Kazuya Yoshioka Masahiko Harada Noriaki Kasai
18 Mar 2001	K-185	WC	Martin Schmitt	Risto Jussilainen	Tommy Ingebrigtsen
23 Mar 2002	K-185	WC-T	Finland Matti Hautamäki Veli-Matti Lindström Risto Jussilainen Janne Ahonen	Germany Christof Duffner Martin Schmitt Michael Uhrmann Sven Hannawald	Austria Martin Koch Andreas Widhölzl Andreas Goldberger Wolfgang Loitzl
24 Mar 2002	K-185	WC	individual; weather conditions
21 Mar 2003	K-185	WC-T	Finland Veli-Matti Lindström Janne Ahonen Tami Kiuru Matti Hautamäki	Norway Henning Stensrud Bjørn Einar Romøren Roar Ljøkelsøy Tommy Ingebrigtsen	Austria Thomas Morgenstern Stefan Thurnbichler Florian Liegl Andreas Widhölzl
22 Mar 2003	K-185	WC	Matti Hautamäki	Adam Małysz	Martin Höllwarth
23 Mar 2003	K-185	WC	Matti Hautamäki	Sven Hannawald	Hideharu Miyahira
20-21 Feb 2004	K-185	SFWC-I	Roar Ljøkelsøy	Janne Ahonen	Tami Kiuru
22 Feb 2004	K-185	SFWC-T	Norway	Finland	Austria
19 Mar 2005	HS 215	WC	Matti Hautamäki	Andreas Widhölzl	Bjørn Einar Romøren
20 Mar 2005	HS 215	WC	Bjørn Einar Romøren	Roar Ljøkelsøy	Andreas Widhölzl
18 Mar 2006	HS 215	WC	Bjørn Einar Romøren	Roar Ljøkelsøy	Martin Koch
19 Mar 2006	HS 215	WC	Janne Happonen	Martin Koch	Robert Kranjec
23 Mar 2007	HS 215	WC	Adam Małysz	Simon Ammann	Jernej Damjan
24 Mar 2007	HS 215	WC	Adam Małysz	Anders Jacobsen	Martin Koch
25 Mar 2007	HS 215	WC	Adam Małysz	Simon Ammann	Martin Koch
14 Mar 2008	HS 215	WC	Gregor Schlierenzauer	Janne Ahonen	Bjørn Einar Romøren
15 Mar 2008	HS 215	WC-T	Norway Tom Hilde Johan Remen Evensen Anders Jacobsen Anders Bardal	Finland Janne Happonen Matti Hautamäki Jussi Hautamäki Janne Ahonen	Austria Martin Koch Thomas Morgenstern Andreas Kofler Gregor Schlierenzauer
16 Mar 2008	HS 215	WC	Gregor Schlierenzauer	Martin Koch	Janne Happonen
20 Mar 2009	HS 215	WC	Gregor Schlierenzauer	Adam Małysz	Dimitry Vassiliev
21 Mar 2009	HS 215	WC-T	Norway Tom Hilde Johan Remen Evensen Anders Jacobsen Anders Bardal	Poland Kamil Stoch Łukasz Rutkowski Stefan Hula Adam Małysz	Russia Denis Kornilov Pavel Karelin Ilya Rosliakov Dimitry Vassiliev
22 Mar 2009	HS 215	WC	Harri Olli	Adam Małysz	Simon Ammann Robert Kranjec
19-20 Mar 2010	HS 215	SFWC-I	Simon Ammann	Gregor Schlierenzauer	Anders Jacobsen
21 Mar 2010	HS 215	SFWC-T	Austria Wolfgang Loitzl Thomas Morgenstern Martin Koch Gregor Schlierenzauer	Norway Anders Jacobsen Anders Bardal Johan Remen Evensen Bjørn Einar Romøren	Finland Janne Happonen Olli Muotka Matti Hautamäki Harri Olli
18 Mar 2011	HS 215	WC	Gregor Schlierenzauer	Thomas Morgenstern	Martin Koch
19 Mar 2011	HS 215	WC-T	Austria Thomas Morgenstern Andreas Kofler Martin Koch Gregor Schlierenzauer	Norway Anders Bardal Johan Remen Evensen Bjørn Einar Romøren Tom Hilde	Slovenia Peter Prevc Jernej Damjan Jurij Tepeš Robert Kranjec
20 Mar 2011	HS 215	WC	Kamil Stoch	Robert Kranjec	Adam Małysz
16 Mar 2012	HS 215	WC	Robert Kranjec	Simon Ammann	Martin Koch
17 Mar 2012	HS 215	WC-T	Austria Thomas Morgenstern Andreas Kofler Gregor Schlierenzauer Martin Koch	Norway Rune Velta Anders Fannemel Bjørn Einar Romøren Anders Bardal	Germany Maximilian Mechler Severin Freund Andreas Wank Richard Freitag
18 Mar 2012	HS 215	WC	Martin Koch	Simon Ammann	Robert Kranjec
22 Mar 2013	HS 215	WC	Gregor Schlierenzauer	Peter Prevc	Piotr Żyła
23 Mar 2013	HS 215	WC-T	Slovenia Jurij Tepeš Peter Prevc Andraž Pograjc Robert Kranjec	Norway Rune Velta Kim René Elverum Sorsell Anders Bardal Andreas Stjernen	Austria Wolfgang Loitzl Stefan Kraft Martin Koch Gregor Schlierenzauer
24 Mar 2013	HS 215	WC	Jurij Tepeš	Rune Velta	Peter Prevc
20 Mar 2015	HS 225	WC	Peter Prevc	Jurij Tepeš	Stefan Kraft
21 Mar 2015	HS 225	WC-T	Slovenia Jurij Tepeš Anže Semenič Robert Kranjec Peter Prevc	Austria Stefan Kraft Michael Hayböck Manuel Poppinger Gregor Schlierenzauer	Norway Johann André Forfang Kenneth Gangnes Anders Fannemel Rune Velta
22 Mar 2015	HS 225	WC	Jurij Tepeš	Peter Prevc	Rune Velta

*KOP - Ski Flying Week; SFWC - Ski Flying World Championships; d - Day; WC - World Cup; T - Team; I - Individual

Hill record

Official Date Length 6 Mar 1969 Miro Oman 135.0 m (443 ft) - test 21 Mar 1969 Jürgen Dommerich 137.0 m (449 ft) 21 Mar 1969 Lars Grini 146.0 m (479 ft) 21 Mar 1969 Jiří Raška 148.0 m (485 ft) 21 Mar 1969 Horst Queck 149.0 m (489 ft) 21 Mar 1969 Bjørn Wirkola 156.0 m (512 ft) - 21 Mar 1969 Jiří Raška 156.0 m (512 ft) - 22 Mar 1969 Bjørn Wirkola 160.0 m (525 ft) - 22 Mar 1969 Jiří Raška 164.0 m (538 ft) - 23 Mar 1969 Manfred Wolf 165.0 m (541 ft) - 15 Mar 1974 Walter Steiner 169.0 m (554 ft) - 20 Mar 1977 Reinhold Bachler 172.0 m (564 ft) 16 Mar 1979 Klaus Ostwald 176.0 m (577 ft) - 15 Mar 1985 Mike Holland 186.0 m (610 ft) - 15 Mar 1985 Matti Nykänen 187.0 m (614 ft) - 15 Mar 1985 Matti Nykänen 191.0 m (627 ft) - 14 Mar 1987 Piotr Fijas 194.0 m (636 ft) - 17 Mar 1994 Martin Höllwarth 196.0 m (643 ft) - Date Length 17 Mar 1994 Toni Nieminen 203.0 m (666 ft) - 18 Mar 1994 Espen Bredesen 209.0 m (686 ft) - 22 Mar 1997 Espen Bredesen 210.0 m (689 ft) - 22 Mar 1997 Lasse Ottesen 212.0 m (696 ft) - 19 Mar 1999 Martin Schmitt 214.5 m (704 ft) - 20 Mar 1999 Tommy Ingebrigtsen 219.5 m (720 ft) - 16 Mar 2000 Thomas Hörl 224.5 m (737 ft) - 18 Mar 2000 Andreas Goldberger 225.0 m (738 ft) - 20 Mar 2003 Adam Małysz 225.0 m (738 ft) - 20 Mar 2003 Matti Hautamäki 227.5 m (746 ft) - 22 Mar 2003 Matti Hautamäki 228.5 m (750 ft) - 23 Mar 2003 Matti Hautamäki 231.0 m (758 ft) - 20 Mar 2005 Tommy Ingebrigtsen 231.0 m (758 ft) - 20 Mar 2005 Bjørn Einar Romøren 234.5 m (769 ft) - 20 Mar 2005 Matti Hautamäki 235.5 m (773 ft) - 20 Mar 2005 Bjørn Einar Romøren 239.0 m (784 ft) - 20 Mar 2015 Michael Hayböck 241.5 m (792 ft) 20 Mar 2015 Peter Prevc 248.5 m (815 ft)

Invalid Date Length 15 Mar 1974 Walter Steiner 177.0 m (581 ft) - WR 20 Mar 1977 Bogdan Norčič 181.0 m (594 ft) - WR 15-18 Mar 1979 Axel Zitzmann 179.0 m (587 ft) - WR 23 Mar 1991 André Kiesewetter 196.0 m (643 ft) - WR 17 Mar 1994 Andreas Goldberger 202.0 m (663 ft) - WR 18 Mar 1994 Christof Duffner 207.0 m (679 ft) - WR 22 Mar 1997 Dieter Thoma 213.0 m (698 ft) - WR 19 Mar 1999 Martin Schmitt 219.0 m (718 ft) - WR 21 Mar 2003 Veli-Matti Lindström 232.5 m (763 ft) - WR 17 Mar 2005 Andreas Widhölzl 234.5 m (769 ft) - WR 20 Mar 2005 Janne Ahonen 240.0 m (787 ft) - WR 20 Mar 2015 Michael Hayböck 242.0 m (794 ft) *hill/world records with fall, touch or glide.

Other records

• On 17 March 1994 Austrian ski jumper Andreas Goldberger touched the ground at 202 m and became the first man ever in history who jumped over two hundred, but jump was invalid because he touched the ground with his hands.
• On 17 March 1994 Finnish ski jumper Toni Nieminen landed on his feet at 203 m and officially became the first man in history who jumped over two hundred.
• Firs ever jump over 160 m, 170 m, 180 m, 190 m, 200 m, 210 m, 220 m and 230 m was set on this hill but didn't always necessary standing on the feet.
• between 80-100 thousand people on first day of SFWC 1985 competition, biggest ever crowd in this competition and Planica.
• On 22 March 1997 has gathered 70,000 people which is the biggest FIS Ski Jumping World Cup single event crowd ever.
• The first ever FIS Ski Flying World Championships was organized on this hill in 1972.
• On 18 March 2000 first ever FIS Ski Flying World Cup Team event was organized.
• 33 individual FIS Ski Flying World Cup events was organized.
• 11 invalid world records (fall, touch or. glide) were set.
• 10 team FIS Ski Flying World Cup events was organized.
• 6 FIS Ski Flying World Championships was organized.
• 28 official world records were set.

Zip Line

This is the steepest zip-line in the world with 40 seconds of adrenalin fall. It was installed Slovenian ski manufacturer Elan in August 2015 zip line was from top to the bottom of the ski flying hill. It's the first ever zip line installed on any of ski flying hills around the world. Ex Slovenian alpine skier Jure Košir was honoured to be the first person who tested and descended down on 1 September 2015. For daily visitors and tourists was opened on 19 September 2015. One ride cost €25 and two rides €40.

Characteristics

• vertical drop - 202 m (663 ft)
• start - 1151.6 m (3,776 ft)
• finish - 949 m (3,114 ft)
• length - 566 m (1,857 ft)
• duration - 40 seconds
• min above ground - 3 m (10 ft)
• max above ground - 53 m (174 ft)
• user min height - 140 cm (4 ft 7 in)
• user max height - 200 cm (6 ft 7 in)
• user min weight - 40 kg (88 lb)
• user max weight - 120 kg (265 lb)
• speed - 40 km/h (25 mph) to 90 km/h (50 mph)
• max capacity - 50 rides/h (20 rides/h in actual)
• average incline - 38.33% or 20.9° (world's steepest)
• maximum incline - 58.6% or 30.5° (world's steepest)
• temperature - operates from -10 °C (14 °F) to +40 °C (104 °F)

Red Bull 400

It is an extreme running-up-the-hill sport event sponsored by Red Bull. It is the steepest uphill race that takes place in Europe. It is a tough 400-meter vertical sprint up the face of a ski-jump slope in Planica, Slovenia. Runners have to beat 400 meters distance from bottom to the top of the inrun of the flying hill. Runners coming from all over Europe had to beat steepest part 38° angle on the older hill and at 36° on modernized hill. First two editions on the Letalnica bratov Gorišek were held in 2012 and 2013 and cacelled in 2014 because the hill was under renovation. Competition came back again in 2015 on a modernized and even bigger hill than before.

Men Edition Date Time 1 22 Sep 2012 Arslan Ahmet 5min 02s 2 12 May 2013 Simon Alič 5min 11s 3 19 Sep 2015 Arslan Ahmet 5min 08s

Ladies Edition Date Time 1 22 Sep 2012 Teresa Stadlobler 6min 46s 2 12 May 2013 Teresa Stadlobler 6min 37s 3 19 Sep 2015 Confortolla Antonela 6min 25s

World snow day

First three editions were held at the bottom of the Gorišek Brothers Flying Hill and fourth one under the small hills 2015 while construction works were done under the flying hill at that time. Although the 4th edition was globally held on 18 January 2015, because of the bad weather event in Planica was rescheduled for one week on 25 January 2015.

Technical data

TV Directors

• Beno Hvala - 1969, 1972, 1974, 1979
• Stane Škodlar - 1974, 1977, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1999-2006
• Dejan Čretnik - 2007-2013, 2015

In popular culture

In 1974, the Letalnica bratov Gorišek appeared as the main location in The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner, a German film directed by Werner Herzog which portrayed Swiss ski jumper Walter Steiner who works as a carpenter for his full-time occupation.^[5]

In 1997 the landscape painting of the flying hill drawn by Vinko Bogataj appeared at the end of the footage on the American ABC's Wide World of Sports show presented by Brent Musburger. Clip shows an interview with Vinko Bogataj about his agony of defeat.^[6]

In 2014 image of the flying hill was portrayed at the popular African American The Queen Latifah Show hosted by Queen Latifah. Image was used in the background at the parody sketch "Norwegian Sven Nordquist, the oldest ski jumper in Sochi".^[7]

See also

• Stano Pelan Hill (K-90)
• Planica Nordic Center

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gorišek Brothers Flying Hill.

• Official website planica.info
• Planica Nordic Center nc-planica.si

Coordinates: 46°28′35″N 13°43′16″E / 46.47639°N 13.72111°E / 46.47639; 13.72111