Ski jumping has been a staple of the Winter Olympics since 1924. A thrilling sport, the athletes fly through the air after gliding down a steep ramp. Ski jumping originated in Norway, so it is no surprise that the country has won the most gold medals in the event throughout Olympic history.
Check out key facts about Olympic ski jumping below:
Where and when will ski jumping take place in the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium in the Province of Trento will host the ski jumping competitions during the 2026 Olympics. The various ski jumping events will take place over six days from Feb. 7 to Feb. 16.
What are the different ski jumping events, and what is the format?
The three different ski jumping events are the Normal Hill, Large Hill, and Men's Super Team. Hill size and K point (where the hill begins to flatten out) are the primary differences between Normal Hill and Large Hill. In addition, athletes on the Normal Hill are awarded more points per meter traveled. Men and women will compete individually on the Normal and Large Hill, and there will be a mixed team event as well.
The individual events include a qualification round and final round. Each athlete will get one scored jump, and the 30 athletes with the best scores advance to the final round. After two scored jumps in the final round, the athlete with the highest combined score wins.
The Men's Super Team consists of pairs of two from each qualifying country. There are three rounds, and each athlete jumps once. The top-12 teams with the highest combined score advance out of the first round, and the top eight from the second round move on. The team with the most total points at the end of the three rounds wins.
In the Mixed Team Event, each qualifying country will field a team comprised of two men and two women. There are two rounds, with each athlete jumping once. The top-eight teams will move on to Round 2, and the team with the highest score will win.
The Women's Individual Large Hill and Men's Super Team are new to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
How does scoring work, and what do the judges look for?
The athletes are scored based on distance and style, and the judges will consider external factors such as wind or gate elevation when awarding points. The five judges will score utilizing the following criteria: distance, style, and wind and gate points.
1. Distance: The distance score is based on the K point. Sixty points are rewarded for reaching it, and points are added or subtracted based on where the athlete lands.
2. Style: The style score is determined by the jump flight, landing and outrun (the final part of the hill after the landing). A perfect style score is a 20, and the best three judges' scores are kept.
3. Wind and gate points: This is a factor included in the final score to compensate for external conditions.
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