[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by rsrguy

A snow covered hill without measures doesn't provide a consistent surface to jump from for all competitors.
Every time a ski runs across snow, the surface is melted. In cold conditions the water freezes back into the snow, with temp fluctuations during an event there's too much variation in the track to provide a consistent surface...this is why the alpine event courses are all injected with water. Ice is a more consistent surface than snow.
The jumps are even more subject to consistency issues because everyone runs in the same track. On an alpine course the line can vary a bit, but even then they always rut out in the same places.

Yep, it’s all about trying to create an even playing field for every athlete. I’m not sure how it worked but they had a different point adder depending on what step the athlete left from (not all the same starting point). The step is somehow determined by wind strength and direction to even out lift. It looked like the coached were monitoring wind speed and giving the athletes the ‘go’ based on that.

I know little about alpine ski jumping.