The gelande is back.
It was recently announced that First Security Bank will be the title sponsor for the 1996 National Gelande Championships scheduled for March 1-2 at The Utah Winter Sports Park at Bear Hollow in Park City.It is expected to bring gelande ski junipers from across the country to compete in this two-day event.
Gelande is ski jumping, for distance and style, on stock alpine ski equipment. Regular downhill skis, boots and poles are used as competitors jump in a six jump competition format.
Distance and style points are awarded and the top jumpers compete for cash and prizes. No inverted jumps are allowed.
Gelande jumping competition originated at the Alta, on an old mine dump. World champion jumper Alf Engen was an originator of the first annual National Gelande Championships.
The next year, 1965, the Alta Cup trophy was introduced.
Over the past few decades, gelande jumpers have adopted a similar jumping style to Nordic ski jumping using the "V" style.
With these new techniques, gelande jumpers are consistently jumping over 300 feet, safely and in control.
Competition gets underway Friday at 1:30 p.m. with finals scheduled Saturday at noon. The cost for the public to attend is $3 per person.