INTRODUCTION: Many nations try to find concepts and structures to find and educate young talents from beginners to world class athletes. They seek for appropriate training methods, create national competition systems, cooperate with other countries to organize international youth competitions and use the system of the International Ski Federation up to the annually performed World Championships for Juniors. Austria is the most successful nation in youth ski jumping with a simple structure from clubs to regional teams, education centers like "Schigymnasium Stams" and the national teams. DEVELOPMENT OF SKI JUMPERS IN AUSTRIA: In general, there are several phases from the first contact with the sport to the participation in world class competitions for each ski jumper in Austria. 1. Getting in touch with the sport: events for testing the sport under safe and structured conditions (8 to 10 years of age) 2. Learning the technique and developing skills and strength for the consecutive training in ski jumping and Nordic combined (10 to 14 years of age). 3. Proving of the talent when entering an education center at the age of 14. Key point for the talent finding system in Austria. Decision for the specific discipline. 4. Increasing the training and competing in the first international competitions. Entry in the two FIS Competition series for adults (World Cup and Continental Cup). There are different details in all phases of the development and education of a young ski jumper between the different nations. Depending on the "culture of skiing" some are using Alpine Skiing (Austria, Germany) or Cross Country Skiing (Norway, Finland) as the entry to the sport. It seems to be important to have the right competitions for the different age groups and levels of skills. Also the equipment rules are slightly different from youth to adult ski jumping. Looking at the system of searching a talent there are some connections between motor skills at the age of 14 and the later success on international level. Performance in tests like the standing long jump has a high significance with winning a medal some years later. The results of the entry exam from the "Schigymnasium Stams" show the development in several tests over the past 30 years. In connection with the achieved level of excellence it is an interesting point for coaches in clubs and regional teams, who get some knowledge of standards for this age. INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS: The international Ski Federation has created some rules for youth competitions supporting young athletes, who are not grown up yet to learn not only the take-off, but also flight technique. In this field there is the highest potential for performance enhancement and developments. --- The hosting University of Jyväskylä is planning to publish conference proceedings "Science and Nordic Skiing III". In case you are interested in this publication please contact the editors (Anni Hakkarainen anni.s.j.hakkarainen@jyu.fi) to become registered for the book.
© Copyright 2015 3rd International Congress on Science and Nordic Skiing - ICSNS 2015. 5-8 June 2015, Vuokatti, Finland. Julkaistu Tekijä University of Jyväskylä; University of Salzburg. Kaikki oikeudet pidätetään. / Kääntänyt https://www.DeepL.com/Translator