Ski jumpers take on a crouch position in order to reach the maximum speed. Ski jumpers are not allowed to use ski poles or any other such aides to increase their speed. During take off, time is extremely valuable and important. Skiers are usually able to stay in the air 5-7 seconds. Nations compete in 3 events: Normal hill, large hill, and team event. (The team event is held in the large hill)

Each athlete attempts two jumps which are judged on how long each one is, depending upon the hill. The ski jumping events will be held February 11-20 at Pragelato, Italy.

The skis are huge- they measure up about 2.5 meters long and twice the width of normal skis. Bindings attach boots at the toe. The boots are fixed at the toe only, leaving the heels free to lift off the skis. The suit is a baggy number - the opposite of sleek ski suits. The skis have a wooden plastic-covered core. There are grooves on the bottom that guarantee smoothness and stability during the inrun and the landing. In case of a fall, the safety cord (a cord that attaches the ski to the boot) detaches from the ski thanks to sliding bearings. The boot is made of leather, fastened with a lacing system and buckles. The athletes also wear a light protective helmet, ski goggles, leather gloves and a suit made out of synthetic material.

The crucial elements in this specialty are the launch, takeoff, flight, and landing: the smallest of errors can seriously mess up the entire jump. Two jumps have to be made in the competition (plus a test jump) and the athlete who achieves the highest score is judged the winner. The overall evaluation is based on the length of the jump made and the style assessment provided by the 5 ski jump judges. After the jump, the competitors must shake hands.