freestyle jumps

Needless to say, one of the most important moments of a bumpy descent in freestyle ski are the jumps, both for the public due to the spectacular nature they entail, and for the runner, knowing that a well-performed jump earns a significant amount of points, necessary to win the desired victory.

But what criteria do judges follow to evaluate them? What is that jump called? These are some of the questions asked by many skiers who usually attend one of the races held in the estations in Spain. .

• Quality, shape and landing.
• The air, the height and distance of the jump.
• Spontaneity

Before entering into possible combinations, we are going to define the basic maneuvers admitted in competition and approved by the International Ski Federation (FIS). Any maneuver outside of those described below will not be valid and, therefore, will not be taken into account by the judges.

It is necessary to warn in advance that all the jumps that we are going to see are considered straight jumps, since somersaults are prohibited in bump competitions, being reserved exclusively for aerial tests.

• Spread Eagle: after takeoff the arms and legs are extended away from the body. The legs should be extended to a minimum angle of 90 degrees when viewed from the front. The skis must be parallel to each other (tips and tails extended equally) and perpendicular to the body. The upper body should remain straight and upright without any forward lean at the waist. It is one of the easiest jumps to perform.

• Zunik: Nordic type jump, in which the upper part of the body leans downward and the lower part leans forward and up, forming an angle of approximately 90 degrees at the waist. The skis must remain together and parallel. Your knees should be straight and your head upright. It is a very difficult jump to see in competition.

• Twister: the skis are turned a minimum of 90 degrees in relation to the line of maximum slope. The skis must remain parallel, together and perpendicular to the body. The hands and arms can move to counteract the turning of the skis.

• Daffy: after takeoff one leg must go forward and up while the other goes behind and up simultaneously, resulting in a 180 degree position with both skis parallel and facing forward. below.

• Back Scratcher: The tails of the skis go back and up, with a minimum angle of 90 degrees when viewed from the side. The hips are brought forward and the shoulders are pulled back slightly to counteract the movement. The legs should be together and the skis parallel.
• Mule Kick: This jump is a combination of the back scratcher with a 45-degree lateral hip turn. The traditional "jota".

• Iron Cross: is another combination of the back scratcher with the tips crossed at a 90 degree angle while they are vertical.

• Kosak: is a combination of an eagle spread with a zudnik. The arms can be carried in different ways: in front, between the skis, to the side or holding the tip of the skis.

• Helicopter: a 360 degree revolution of the body with respect to its vertical axis.

These jumps may be combined with each other in a maximum number of four figures including possible repetitions. Each competitor must perform at least two different jumps. Two different jumps can be defined as:

• Different number of positions.
• Two jumps from different groups.
• If two multiple maneuvers are performed, they can have the same group combination, but must change the order. Only jumps performed in an identical manner will be considered repeated jumps. If a jump is repeated, only the jump with the best score will count.

The jumping judges must agree regarding the jump performed. In case of discrepancy, the chief judge is the one who has the final decision. Before each bump test, the jury, with information from the chief judge, will confirm the number of aerial maneuvers recommended by the track. The number of jumps will be announced at the last Team Leaders' meeting before the event. All courts will have two jumps for international competitions.

The recommended number for aerial maneuvers will not limit the rider, but represents the number of jumps that will receive evaluation. For example, if the jury recommends two jumps, a competitor who performs only one will receive only 50% of the total possible score.

The number of jumps in excess of the recommended total will be ignored so that maximum scores can be used. If a jump is repeated, the better of the two will be taken into account. For example, if two aerial maneuvers are recommended and a competitor performs three, the judges will score the two best jumps. However, a competitor must be careful not to perform excessive aerial maneuvers so as to negatively affect the judges' scores on the turns.