Norge Ski Club warming up for a cold weekend
This weekend, ski jumpers from Russia, Norway, Finland, Poland and the United States are descending on the Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove for the third leg of the Five Hills International Super Tour.
About a dozen of the competitors will be girls and young women.
"There's gals here who are going to kick these guys' butts off the track," said club spokesman Charlie Sedivec, as he watched several practicing their jumps Friday morning.
Abby Hughes, 20, a member of the Visa Women's Ski Jumping Team, placed second in Eau Claire, Wis., and first in Ishpeming, Mich., and could be the one to beat in the women's class.
The Park City, Utah, native has been ski jumping since she was only 6 and says the sport is second nature to her and her ski-loving family.
"It's like a teenage boy going outside to play football," said Hughes, who has competed in 13 countries. "It's just fun. It's what we do."
Ski jumping is the one Olympic sport that bars women from competing. Growing up, Hughes said she looked up to men because there were so few women in ski jumping to emulate.
Her plan is to give back to the young girls by coaching them and becoming a role model.
At the same time, she'll keep her fingers crossed that the Olympic committee one day lets women compete in the sport.
"We're hoping for 2014 in Sochi," Hughes said.
On Saturday, junior ski jumpers will compete during an Olympic tryout meet.
Sunday is reserved for ski jumpers who are at least 18. "This is the perfect, perfect weather," Sedivec said. "Everything going to be just great and it's going to be in the 20s all weekend."
After Norge, the skiers resume jumping in Minneapolis and the competition concludes Feb. 6 in Westby, Wis.
Admission to Norge is $15 at the gate, which is good for both days.
The competition starts at noon on both days.
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