Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-02-09
The Ski Tournament.

lSlSoNIiS III WIG ." VI SpptN "eN PiS
sented to the people of this commun-
ity on Monday, February 5th, in the
ski contest held under the auspices OF
the Augustana College ski Club.
Through the efforts OF this club a hill
on the Sam Thorson farm had been
cleared until there was a splendid ski
track and a terrace had been prepared
from which the jumps could be made.
When it is considered that this
work as we'll as the a Advertising Of the
than a weeks time, it will readily be
agreed that the students who are
members Of this club are huStlerS.
The club should be commended for
its enterprise in furnishing Canton
and vicinity the first exhibition OF
this sport that is 10Y so rapidly gain
ing renoun throughout the world, or
at least through that part of the
world that ordinarily has snow enough
during the winter months to permit
of this sport. SO far as known, this is
| the first tournament of its kind west
of Minneapolis and eastern Mime
sofa. The sport Is clean and 1t is one
that is healthful and invigorating
both to mind and body. There can
be no comparison between this sport
which brings it's participants out into
the pure bracing winter air and those
games To which SO much attention
has been given by the youth OF u
schools and which are usually played
in rooms filed with dust and in air
made foul through being breathed
aud rebreathed many times by the
crowds Of spectators. If this tourna-
ment does nothing more than TO In
crease the interest In out Of door ex-
erclse Of a healthy and fascinating
sort it win have been OF i~ncalculable
benefit to this community.
Norway is the native home of this
sport and for that reason it is but
natural that the participants in this
contest should be such as had come
from that country. From Norway
aud Sweden, more especially Norway,
interest in this sport has now spread
throughout all Europe and into u
country, especially into Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Michigan, and there Is
a noticeable interest being shown In
more places In the United States than
ever before, which shows that the
people are beginning to appreciate
more and more the excellent qualities
of skiing.
1t is a pleasure on a winters day to
see numbers Of boys n young men
out on their skis. They are getting
something of the best there is, plen-
tiful draughts Of Gods W fresh pure
air. They are out where they can
commune with nature and nature
does not teach bad things nor inspire
corrupt thoughts.
But we must come back to the
tournament. Eleven young men had
entered for the ski jumping contest.
These all gave pleasing exhibitions OF
this int resting feature, a jump
through the air, a landing on the
steep incline and a slide at high speed
to the foot of the hill or possibly in
stead of the neat slide, a fall and a
roll in the snow. Those who fell,
however, always rose again with a
smile and went up the hill to try
again. In the contest for points each
contestant was given three chances.
The prize winners were: first, Lud-
Wig Hobby, Augustana College, 2S5
points with a jump of II feet; second,
John Eastwood, Augustana College,
249 points, with a jump of SO feet;
third MILAN Grasmo, Augustana Col
lege, 22O points with a "a foot jump;
fourth, Ludwig Narlien. Gjoa Ski
Club. Sioux Falls, 2l9 points, with a
50 foot jump. Other contestants were
S. E. Tonseth of Omaha, Nebr., Tony
Ullereng and Enock Nordahl, Angus
tana College, Ole Skyaasen, John
Enger and Tom Steen, Canton, and
Ludwig Larson, Inwood, Iowa.
From the first it was seen that Lud-
Wig Hobby was the winner as he
showed the best form and the longest
jumps. Ills skis seemed almost a
part of him as he came down the hill
and when he was in The air. Mr.
Eastwood and Mr.. Grasmo also showed
up very we'll as did also Mr.. Narlien
of Sioux Falls, the winner OF the
fourth prize. All the contestants are
to be commended for the tine spirit
they showed and each n showed
some good qualities.
After the contest some of the skiers
did some exhibition skiing that was
very pleasing to the spectators. Mr..
Nordabl and Mr.. East void took part
in this, the latter sliding down the
hill on one ski. Pretty twin jumps
were made by Hobby and Skyaasen and
by Mr.. Ullereng and Grasmo. After
| the public contest was over Mr.. Hobby
made a jump of 81 feet but this time
he fell. The length Of this jump
however shows the possibilities of the
hill. Four prizes were offered and
| won as indicated by the records given
above. An additional prize was Of
fered for the longest standing jump,
| and his also was won by Mr.. Hobby,