The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-11-29
HOUGHTON DEPARTMENT
GOOD PROSPECTS
FOR SKI SPORT
SOUTH RANGE CLUB ORGANIZED
FOR SKI RACING-SlTE DO
MATED IN HoUeHToN FOR
JUMPING CONTESTS.

| ski racing promises TO become a
popular sport In the copper country
this winter. A new ski club has been
organized at South Range and inter
est is being aroused in both jumping
and long distance racing. DR. r.. r.
FaTand, president of the Portage
Lake Athletic club is pushing n prop
osition for a long distance ski race I'm
Houghton this winter to raise funds
for The club. The winters here are
long and give plenty opportunity for
ski racing. although il is a sport that
Is virtually unknown in the copper
country
Ski jumping viii also receive the
attention of DR.. Farrand and others
interested in skiing. The sheldon
ON one Of the hills on the shore Of
Portage lake for a slide. The ste I'm
question could he no better suited for
a ski slide. A scaffold erected on the
top 10 gain momentum. the natural
hin for the take of and landing and
the broad eNpanse Of the frozen lake
10 wind mp the jump, will make ideal
jumping.
DR. Farrand has received from As
kcl II. Hotter of Ashland. Wis, an in
tcresting comparison of the ski races
la Norway and Finland, the letter be-
ing as follows:
1T is with pleasure 7 note the prog
ress Of interest i'm ski racing i'm your
/ part Of the country and l anticipate
Ia grand tournament.
Regarding the official records for
ski running there are no such on file,
inasmuch as Finland and Norway
have very different rules for running
contests. The Firms can never win
a contest I'm Norway nor has IL ever
been possible for a Norwegian to win
in Finland. The Norwegian courses
are laid over a country where hills
have to be assembled and descended.
Precipices have TO be cleared and the
skis must never be removed from the
feet of a skier during a race, while in
Finland the races are held on the lakes
where long, narrow skis are used. and
the Firms are here the champions. In
recent contest. conducted at Ash
land, Asario Auto. the Finnish cham
plon who has since returned to the
old country ! believe. covered
stretch OF J. miles partly over the lake
and partly through rush and clearlngs
In A. minutes. In Norway the annual
championship 25-mile contest over a
mountainous country is covered I'm a
little over four hours, but then Il is a
mighty hard run
The National Ski association has
no rules for long distance contests. as
this is matter q local privilege with
each club. II is not all the time that
the conditions are favorable for the
holding Of long distance runs at our
tournaments. But where they are such
tournaments are held. We have not
given IT, prestige enough as yet TO
compile records but eventually we win
have 90 come to this iuasmuch as the
European countries viii hold combin-
alton contests.
The slSicrs are generally sent out
two minutes apart all following the
same course the runner ahead 10 give
way TO the one coming behind so he
can pass.
THE norwegian ski Is made for
combination cross country use and
Jumping, while the Finnish s. made
for Ions distance use on "A hard sur
face only"
DIR. Farrand believes that he can
hold long distance ski race i'm
IIoushton and make it pay. The pro-
ceeds win go toward the boys club.
He has several other projects in hand.
all intended TO raise funds for the
boys