Patience pays off at Norge ski jump competition

Umbrellas are generally an ominous sign at ski jumping tournaments.

Spectators wielded them en masse Sunday waiting for the start of Day 2 of the 111th annual Winter Ski Jump Tournament at the Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove.

Raindrops delayed the noon start until shortly after 1 p.m. While ski jumpers waited by the clubhouse doors in full gear, workers spread liquid nitrogen along the ramp to keep it frozen as temperatures reached into the low 40s.

But patience paid off for the jumpers and the spectators, who greeted the contestants with the customary cowbells.

Not that spectators weren't already having a good time. Many were tailgating in the parking area as early as 9 a.m.

The tailgating is a tradition for Joe Schak of Cary.

"I remember I grew up in Cary, (and) we used to walk across the frozen river and watch (the tournament) every year," he said. "It's the local event. Every year people come out. It's the thing to do in a podunk town."

Todd Schulz of Palatine brought yule logs, beer and sausages to the festivities.

"We have been doing it for a few years now," he said. "It has turned into a fun event every year, a tradition."

His wife, Lindsay Schulz, said the culmination is the competition.

"It's loud. It's crowded. And it's so fun," she said.

Among the maintenance crew working to keep the ski path frozen was Brian Hannah from Fox River Grove, whose children jumped on the smaller hills Saturday.

"When the weather gets like this, the tracks get thawed and they get a little slower, so the jumping's harder," Hannah said. "So on the big hill, we got the insulating boards and we're putting liquid nitrogen on the rails to keep it frozen."

Cradled by trees and cabins, the ski club features five hills, 5, 10, 25, 40 and 70 meters high. The 70-meter hill is accessed by a 150-foot tower, and jumpers reach speeds between 50 and 60 mph while skiing down the 250-foot track.

Ski jumper A.J. Brown, who grew up just down the street from the club, described the 70-meter course as "a blast. It's kind of like a controlled free fall. You feel air pressure - like you're floating."

Besides the Americans taking part in the contest, jumpers came from as far away as Finland, Norway and Slovenia to compete.

The event has served as an incubator for international ski jumpers, spawning such local standouts as Spring Grove's Patrick Gasienica, who just qualified for the Junior World Championships in Romania.

He said he has taken part in the Norge tournament for nine years.

"It's nice to have a lot of people here come out and (show) support," he said.

Another local favorite, Casey Larson of Barrington, also competed. Larson recently qualified for the Youth Olympic Games and Junior World Championships.

The Norge Ski Club was important in his development, he said.

"This facility is one of the best in the country," Larson said. "This helped produce a lot of really good jumpers."