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HOW SKI-JUMPERS GET LONGER DISTANCE
THE SECRET OF V-STYLE
History of V-style ski jump
Most of the ski jumpers fly in the V-style recently. In 1992 at Albertville (France) Winter Olympic Games more than half ski jumpers kept their skis parallel after the take off. However in 1994 Lillehammer (Norway) Olympics found all the ski jumpers competing in the V-style. Why can the V-style fly further? How was the V-style proved to be better style?
Here is an introduction of the research conducted in Japan.
How can birds and airplanes fly?
They both have wings and the shape of the wings has the secret. Watching the wing, you may find the front part is thick and the rear part is becoming gradually thinner. Careful watcher may know that the front top is the thickest. This shape produces the lifting force and pulls the wings upward as they go through the air.
Why does the V-style fly further?
The shape of the wings of a flying bird relates to the V-style. Imagine a seagull or a kite flying easily in the sky. With its wings widely open, it can hold a lot of air and get the lifting force which can keep it in the air. The same thing happens when the skier opens the skis widely.
Wind Tunnel Experiment
Human size doll wears the skis, helmet, gloves, ski jump suit, and goggle just like a real ski jumper. The wind tunnel is operated so that the doll gets as strong wind as in the real ski jumping situation.
Wind Tunnel Performance
Experimental Condition as a whole
The force that the human size dall receives from air stream is measured using the similar equipments as the real ski jumpers.
What is measured in the wind tunnel?
The lifting force produced by the wind is measured as well as the air resistance. Then idealistic V-style is calculated. The best V-style form was identified in this way.
Experimental Condition
The picture shows the experiment of parallel style ski jump. The arms of the skier are widely open from the body in this picture. However better performance is obtained when the skier keep their arms tightly at the side of the body.
Smoke Wind Tunnel Experiment
The smoke wind tunnel helps you to see the air stream. You can find the turbulence and the whirl of the air. The smoke helps to find the idealistic V-style.
V-style ski jumper in the wind tunnel
The doll's legs are opened in various degrees in the wind tunnel. The influence of the open legs is tested. The angle between the skis and the body was also measured to find the idealistic form of the V-style.