This study was concerned with identifying important flight characteristics of the ski jump at the end of the early flight phase and describing how these characteristics developed from the run-in through the takeoff and during the early flight phase. The K90 individual competition of the 1994 Olympic Winter Games was analyzed. The 2-D data (takeoff) were collected by a high-speed video camera, and the 3-D analysis (early flight) used an algorithm whereby two cameras followed the jumpers through the early flight phase. Center of mass (CM) velocities at takeoff and after early flight and CM heights at these positions had no significant linear correlations with total distance. Only small differences in these parameters were distinguished between better and poorer performers. Significant differences between jumpers were identified in angular parameters at takeoff and in early flight. A combination of five defined flight angles yielded an R2 value of .84. It was found that the complex movement sequences involved in ski jumping were therefore more important in their contributions to optimal flight position than the ballistic properties of the ski jumper reduced to a single point model.

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The force measuring system constructed under the frost rail inrun track element was used for measurement of take‐off forces in ski jumping. Several calibrations of the normal forces made on several days showed no significant differences between the calibration sessions. Loading the different places of the track element showed differences less than 5% between the places for the total 10‐m distance and less than 3% for the straight take‐off table. Two international‐level ski jumpers served as subjects during the testing of the system. Further preliminary results from 2 different performances techniques are presented. The force curves of subjects displayed totally different patterns: Two distinct peaks for subject MN (Fmax 25.46 ± 0.80 NkgBW−1) and only one peak for subject JH (Fmax 27.97 ± 0.98 N kgBW−1). A slight correlation was found between the Fmax and the length of the jump for one subject