Women ski jumpers might have just moved another step closer to competing at the Olympics.
The International Ski Federation has approved the creation of a World Cup circuit for women, starting in the 2011-12 season. The vote during the recent FIS Congress in Turkey was unanimous, giving the top American women â mostly from Park City â renewed hope of competing at the 2014 Sochi Games in Russia. They were not allowed to compete at the 2010 Vancouver Games, despite a major push to win approval. Ski jumping is the only Olympic sport in which women are not allowed to compete along with men.
"This is a major step forward for women's ski jumping," said DeeDee Corradini, the former Salt Lake City mayor who leads the Women's Ski Jumping USA advocacy group. "One of the reasons the IOC has used in the past to justify not allowing the women into Vancouver 2010 is that the women didn't have a World Cup to date. Having a World Cup in 2011-2012 and our second World Championship in 2011 opens the door wide for our inclusion in Sochi 2014."
Corradini said the U.S. women's team is "literally broke," having lost its funding from the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association last year after not being allowed into the Olympics.
Women's Ski Jumping USA has since taken over the finances and administrative support for the team, and is "working diligently" this summer to raise money. The foundation is hosting its second annual fund-raiser in Deer Valley on July 14.
