International ski jumpers converge on Lake Placid for Continental Cup
https://www.wcax.com/2023/10/06/international-ski-jumpers-converge-lake-placid-continental-cup/
(video at link)
International ski jumpers converge on Lake Placid for Continental Cup
By Alek LaShomb
Published: Oct. 6, 2023 at 5:48 PM EDT|Updated: 13 hours ago
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (WCAX) - No snow? No problem. International ski jumpers are in Lake Placid for the Continental Cup, soaring through the air without the cold powder below.
Olympic high flyers, foliage lovers, and ski enthusiasts have converged on Lake Placid this weekend to catch a glimpse of the changing fall colors and an international competition. Its all part of the Flaming Leaves Festival, a three-day event that features live music, games, food, leaf viewing, and of course -- ski jumping.
This place is iconic in our sport in the United States. I mean, some of these jumps you can just see from everywhere around town, and they are quite famous. So, we always like coming out here and jumping them, said Casey Larson, a former Olympian and U.S. Ski Team member.
The jump Larson and others will be gliding down is different from your typical ski jump. Instead of snow, the jumps have a porcelain track that is watered down. After clearing the jump, athletes land in a field made of thick green plastic broom bristles, an adjustment he says that can take some getting used to. Definitely a minute or two to get used to wintertime when it does roll around. But to be able to jump all summer long is important for us., so we take what we can get, he said.
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