11/05/24
December 17, 2010
Women Ski Jumpers Still Absent from Olympics: "Ski jumping is the only winter Olympic event that doesn't have a female competition," observes Michelle Morris of Ms. Magazine. "[I]t was especially hard to explain to my seven-year-old niece, whose mother was an Olympic rower, why the women ski jumpers couldn't compete. 'Because they're girls?' she asked. That's right, Zara, because they're girls."
If Qatar had women's ski jumping team it would be in, no doubt about it. They have a way to make things work.
posted by gfinsf at 08:50 AM on December 17, 2010
Are there enough world class jumpers to field a competitive event? And I don't mean Eddie the Eagle types.
posted by graymatters at 09:21 AM on December 17, 2010
From the "Get the Facts" section here:
Myth: Women's ski jumping is not developed enough. There is not enough "universality"
Fact: 16 Nations (AUT, CAN, CZE, FIN, FRA, GER, ITA, JAP, NED, NOR, POL, RUS, SLO, SWE, SUI, & USA) have women registered as international competitors with the FIS. This season's Continental Cup tour will include 25 events hosted by 8 countries in Europe, North America, and Asia.
Myth: Only a few women athletes can jump respectably.
Fact: 35 different athletes from 9 nations have placed within the top 10 in FIS Continental Cup competition during the past two seasons. The depth of field parallels the men's tour.
posted by googly at 09:28 AM on December 17, 2010
Myth: It's too dangerous for girls.
Fact: It's too dangerous for EVERYONE!
posted by JJ at 09:56 AM on December 17, 2010
At least they're honest JJ
posted by kokaku at 10:40 AM on December 17, 2010
35 different athletes from 9 nations have placed within the top 10 in FIS Continental Cup competition during the past two seasons.
I think the final round of ski jumping in the Olympics has 35 contestants, so I don't see any reason why there should not be women's ski jumping even if there ended up only something like 24 contestants (due to injuries etc. keeping some out of competition). Though number of contestants itself does not make a competition; for example, if same three or four athletes always win, place and show and everyone else is way down the list in skill and just also competing to round out the field.
posted by graymatters at 04:01 PM on December 17, 2010
Though number of contestants itself does not make a competition; for example, if same three or four athletes two or three teams always win, place and show and everyone else is way down the list in skill and just also competing to round out the field.
Welcome to women's Olympic hockey!
posted by grum@work at 04:13 PM on December 17, 2010
Though number of contestants itself does not make a competition; for example, if same three or four athletes teams always win, place and show and everyone else is way down the list in skill and just also competing to round out the field.
Welcome to the Premier League, widely (if oddly) regarded as the "best" soccer league in the world.
posted by JJ at 05:46 AM on December 18, 2010
Sounds like the evidence and the consensus both favor "because they're girls" as the only explanation for why this sole holdout exists in Olympic competition. How depressing is that?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:13 AM on December 18, 2010
How are you posting from the future again?