On the morning of April 24, 2024, Japanese ski jumping star Ryoyu Kobayashi launched from a natural takeoff table in northern Iceland and flew for 291 meters before landing safely on the snow. (More Sports News)
A culmination of two gruelling days of attempts, the feat set a new world record for the longest ski jump. And while the spectacular setting evoked the roots of the sport, the distance rocketed ski jumping to new heights, smashing the previous record by a remarkable 37.5m.
The audacious achievement holds deep personal meaning for the athlete. Already one of ski jumping’s all-time greats, Kobayashi, 27, has dreamed of taking the sport to new levels ever since his childhood in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture.
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His relentless dedication to mastering his art has propelled him to the forefront; so far he has amassed 32 individual wins and two overall titles in the World Cup, individual gold and silver medals at the 2022 Olympics, and three overall titles in the iconic Four Hills tournament.
However, the 27-year-old's record jump did not meet the standards met by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) who said that they won't recognise the landmark effort.
As Kobayashi's jumps hit the record mark, FIS said that the “showcase an extraordinary athlete’s performance under very special conditions,” they “cannot be compared to a FIS Ski Flying World Cup, as both the start date and the entire project are tailored to a single athlete and therefore ultimately to a single jump/flight,” they said in a statement.
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“A ski flying competition must be based on a FIS-certified distance measuring system and take place on a ski flying hill homologated by FIS in order to stand up to comparison with other flights and be eligible for an official ski flying record,’ added the FIS.
“At the same time, there are regulations for the material that is used and that must be tested by a FIS certified equipment controller; for example, the length of the ski and the mass of the suit.
“Ryoyu Kobayashi’s jumps in Iceland did not take place under competition conditions and in line with the FIS regulations.”
Austria's Stefan Kraft holds the FIS record for the longest competitive ski jump with a 253m (831 ft 8.31 in) jump in Vikersund, Norway, in 2017.
