The International Ski Federation's executive council, meeting Thursday in Portugal, endorsed a Canadian proposal to stage a women's ski jumping world championship in 2009 and to encourage the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow the event to debut at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

The proposal now goes today to the full FIS Congress, whose 100 or so members usually approve executive council decisions. Its ratifying vote would remove one of the few remaining obstacles to a multi-year effort to give the small but expanding cadre of women ski jumpers - some of the best of whom come from Park City - a chance to exhibit their skills on international stages.

Once FIS approval is secured, the IOC will be asked in November to add the competition to the 2010 schedule in Vancouver, a move supported by that city's Olympic organizing committee.

"Things are looking very good for approval," said Vic Method, a Park City-based spokesman for Women's Ski Jumping USA, who lobbied FIS members this week with former Salt Lake City Mayor Deedee Corradini and Peter Jerome, Jessica's father.

"We have five of the top 15 women in the world living here in Utah," Method said. "Get it into the world championship and the Olympics and the epicenter of women's ski jumping will be Utah. It's something the state can lay claim to."

Method's group worked closely with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and Ski Jumping Canada to assemble a proposal acceptable to sometimes stodgy FIS delegates. Graphic designer Margaret Hart designed a 12-page brochure in which women jumpers from around the world expressed how "We are ready to fly." Aminco, the official pin supplier for the Salt Lake Olympics, also produced a special women's ski jumping pin for FIS members.

U.S. Ski Team spokesman Tom Kelly said "we have pushed for women's ski jumping as long as it's been discussed . . . The approach we've taken is that it's not the fact they are women. They are athletes. There are 14 nations actively participating. The numbers aren't huge, but they're growing. And the quality and depth of the competition is strong."

Leading the charge for Ski Jumping Canada has been Ron Read, who said the success of Continental Cup and Junior World competitions last winter allayed many fears that females were not up to the rigors of ski jumping. "Now people realize there's some validity to the sport," he said.

FIS also awarded the 2011 World Freestyle Championships to Deer Valley Resort, the second time the Park City-area resort has hosted that event (also in 2003).

mikeg@sltrib.com