Ski jumping
Why prefer headwinds?
Ski jumping is a "game of the brave", which not only tests the athlete's firm and composed will, but also tests the athlete's explosiveness, agility and balance ability. Weather conditions such as wind speed, temperature and visibility are all meteorological factors that affect ski jumping, and athletes will be more likely to achieve better results in headwind conditions than in downwind conditions.
origin
Ski jumping originated in Norway, also known as snow jumping. In 1868, the Norwegian Norheim set a flight distance of 19 meters, which was also the world's first snow jump. On March 19, 1999, Germany's Martin Schmidt jumped 214.5 meters in Planica, Slovenia, the longest distance in the history of ski jumping, and since this result was recognized, no one has broken it.
Ski jumping competitions only have the best results, there is no world record, because the angle of the ski jumping slope and the elevation angle of the starting end built at each Winter Olympics are different, coupled with the differences in temperature, wind direction, wind speed and natural conditions such as snow quality and snow temperature during the competition, the competition results will change accordingly.
Influence of meteorological conditions
Ski jumping is one of the most weather-susceptible competitions, with the wind being the most pronounced. Excessive winds, especially instantaneous winds, can pose a threat to the safety of athletes. Therefore, ski jumping has strict restrictions on the venue and meteorological conditions.
If the wind speed exceeds 4 m/s, the direction of the athlete in the air will be greatly affected, and when the wind speed exceeds 5 m/s, it will no longer be able to compete and train. Under meteorological conditions with instantaneous wind speeds of less than 3 m/s and no crosswinds, athletes are prone to good results. In the case of a headwind of less than 3 m/s, it is more conducive to the race, because when the wind is against the wind, the air flow will "support" the athlete's body, thereby delaying the descent speed and increasing the flight distance. Therefore, athletes prefer to "fly against the wind", and their jump distance will be extended by more than 10 meters than in normal windless weather. On the contrary, the downwind has become the biggest obstacle for athletes to compete.
The temperature also has a greater impact on the competition, and those below -20 °C or above 0 °C are not suitable for the game. When the temperature is below -20 ° C or continuous extremely cold weather, the snow quality is too hard, and even a relatively thick layer of ice crystals appears, and the athlete is easy to fall when it lands; and when the temperature is high, the snow humidity increases, becomes soft, and is easy to be injured if it is not well mastered.
During the race, if there is more than 3 centimeters of snow per hour, the race will be suspended. In addition, in order to ensure that the referee can see the landing area clearly, the visibility of the venue should be greater than 500 meters, and if it is less than 150 meters, it should also be suspended.