By Rolf Arne Odiin,
Chairman AIPS Nordic Ski and Biathlon commission

LIBEREC, February 21,  2009 -  147 years after the first registered female ski jump by Ingrid Vestby in Trysil (NOR), 24 year old American Lindsey Van won the gold medal in the 2009 World Championship in Liberec, CZE.
With an ovehelming final jump of 97, 5 meter she outclassed Ulrike Gressler of Germany and Norwegian Anette Sagen.

"I can almost not believe this is true. My final jump was absolutely perfect after a slow start and fourth place in the first round. Now I am going to celebrate this historical day after a competition we have been dreaming of in years," the happy American said.

Female ski jumpers have been fighting to be recognized by the International Ski Federation and had to wait until 2003 to have their first ever official Continental Cup competition won by Anette Sagen of Norway who was one of the favorites together with Austrian Daniela Iraschko and German Ulrike Gressler in the first Worlds competition.

But the American showed no problems with her nerves on this historic day and showed that girls can be real ski jumpers, even when the jury was afraid to give them enough speed to give a really exciting show on the hill.

14- year-old Maren Lunde of Norway was the first girl ever to make a World Championship jump with start number 1 in the competition and landed on 73, 5 meters. Youngest participant in the event was French 13 years and three months old Celine Matelle who finished fifth in the race.

Female ski jumping reached high popularity during the 1870's when Johanne Kolstad and Hilda Braskerud "outmanned" the men and were great attractions in many ski jumping events. They were invited to ski jumping shows in America and during these year the wider public came to experience what female ski jumping was like.

But the interest sunk, both on the American continent and in Europe until Norwegians, Austrians and Germans started to train on the proper hills, together with boys in the 1960's. From that interest there has been great improvement with  36 participants entering the World Championship. The women are still fighting to be accepted in the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, but until now IOC has denied their participation and it looks like Sochi 2014 might be their first Olympic adventure.