The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-21
SKIING IN NORWAY
The Great Winter Sport and How It
Is Enjoyed by Everybody
There.
Wonderful Leaps Made on thu
Great Holmenkol Day Near
Christiania.

Correspondence Of The Journal.
Christiania, Norway, Feb. 3.--As the
days in the summer are long and bright
in the land of the Vikings, so they are
dark and short in the winter, and the Win
ter is long and dreary, especially TO peo-
pie reared in a more southern latitude.
AS a beaming light in all these long,
gloomy seasons stands the Norwegian
winter sport. which may be divided into
four groups: Skiing, Skating, Coastlng
and Sleighing.
Skiing is the national sport Of Nor
way, and by its prestige the one most
devotedly pursued. The ski has been
used here for centuries, II not as sport
ing implement then as necessary means
Of locomotion from one part Of the noun
famous country to another, where SHOWS
lie deep and highways lie buried or are
unknown, and while the ski to this day
in several districts serves a practical pur-
pose, it is mainly it's connection with the
sport that has made it known as the i
human Wings (Of course this was be-
fore Santos-Dumont put in appearance.)
AS there may be a great many who do
| not know what a ski is it may be stated [
| that the ski consists Of a narrow plank
of wood, rounded and curved upwards
at the toe, furnished with straps or
thongs in the center; or somewhat be-
| hind the center, for fastening to the foot |
The popularity Of the ski sport is in
creasing for every season that passes.
This has lately, been proved by the at
| tendance at the Holnlenllol ski race, |
! which was held this year OH Feb. 2. More |
| than 10000 spectators We're present, in
| Guiding many foreigners and several |
! Americans. On this day the leaping con-
| test, which is a feature of the combined
ski runs annually held at Holmenkollen,
! was held. ..-
Royal ski Runners.
! AS another example Of the popularity
of the ski sport it may be mentioned
that the Princes Gustav and Wilhelm have
a ski hut in the Jothunlleimen (the lof-
test mountain regions of Norway which
they visit every year for several weeks,
| devoted solely to this sport. The two
princes have taken part in ski-leaping
competition in Sweden, where the high
personages shared glory and falls with
| the boy from the farm and factory III.
r. H., the crown prince, on his success
full bear hunting expedition in Norway,
had to put on the skis in order to get
within shooting range of the big game.
When the German Prince Heinrich now
SO well known to America, was here with
his squad ron before Christmas in 1901
he and many of his officers became SO
fascinated with the Norwegian ski sport
that several of them bought outfits to
take along. 'ss-
The Great Ho'n1enkol Day
To getsa clear conception of what this
sport really is, it must be tried, or at
least seen Holmenkol day is to Nor
way what Derby day is to England. The
10000 spectators form from early morn
ing continuous stream of humanity from
Chrlst1aala up to the heights of Homen-
kollen, distance Of Habout four miles.
Various means of lOcomotion are utilized,
such as skis. electric railway, sleighs with
ordinary horses and the horses Of the
apostles. The leaping contest generally
starts at o'clockhand LASTS about three
hours. This year the 1funtJer Of Compel
itors was 244.soS swh4m tWenty-six had
previously, taken fprises m. The Holmen-
kol races. The slope, itself is -1S6 yards
long and rises to a height of nearly 16C
feet above the plain Qake), while the pla t.
form of snow, or ''hop," from which the
leap is made, is situated about two thirds
Eof the way down. notwithstanding its
}apparent steepEess, the angle of the up
4: per portion, that above the "hcp,' OF
ledge, from which the men bound, is only
about Is, the lower part "a. degrees; but the
= descent on skis occupies only from sever
to nine seconds, of which two to three
le seconds may be in the air during thu
J. Heap. ----
s. How Leap Looks.
~ Presently the sound Of a bugle is heard
- land a dark speck is seen descending to
~ wards the center Of the decivity, wher
III the ledge or platform whence the leap i
\
~ ing from the ground, there arises am
e. stretches into the semblance Of a man
IN figure, which, making curve in the air
ST alights on the slant beneath, shoots down
10 wards on the level with lightning speeo
nc and finally pulls up by a rapid and grace
ut full turn, facing then the hill he has S
rd speedily descended.
he Words cannot adequately describe sue
IL a contest, or the sensations of an observe
ed when he sees the men swooping throug
l4l. inc q fpp
which seems impossible Of accomplish
n ment. It must be seen to be appreciated
a and even then the stranger who views
he for the first time leaves the spot file
If, with wonder at the daring exhibited by tn
r. Norwegian youths, but still more or les
nd Ibewildered by the spectacle. For, thong
he may clearly imagine the flight OF Tn
g. mythical Mercury, he can hardly gras
sic the reality of volitation by living men. NC
long ago a ski-runner jumped over
carriage which came in his ROAD, al,
one of the four foreigners in the Nehlc
o remarked later: Il always heard talk1n
on: about the flying Dutchman. but what is II
matter with the flying Norwegian? i
on truly comes up to the Ch1namans ldea-
y swish, then walk a mile
Pa The art Of skiing is a part OF the NIL
. tary training in Norway, and there a.
Z. ski corps as well as bycicle corps IN II
~ army.
ITO While it may take the Norwegians 4
stand on skis, it seems to take Amerlcal
eh- to take business advantage Of the spol
on A representative of the American Ri
I've; graph company was mere ellls seai ~ :
his picture taking machinery, and perha
lot before long the Holmenkol run may
49,. seen in the variety theaters in Americ
ale; and leaps OF oS1s iletei9 iAous1i Az
enjoyed M NJ =
esq; s5Es< ----- l.
dbl .sc,>,a r,oc+ors, Bills
Der Mr. los G. Grady, President Board,
dbl uo.l+,, West Orange N. V, says: 20
por angeine is certainly a great boon to su
% ferers who have longed for simple al
son. afeac+;1,a ,e,na6v for Colds, Grip Ne