"Fat don't fly"... ski jumping is "one of the most eating-disorder plagued sports"

[Demovictory9]

Olympic champion Lundby laments ski jumping's weight issues

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Over the last few months, Lundby has emerged as an advocate for change in a sport that has historically had athletes develop eating disorders as teenagers, all in a quest to be as light as possible to squeeze a few more meters out of their flights through the air.

USA Nordic executive director Billy Demong, a five-time Olympian in Nordic combined, said ski jumping is “one of the most eating-disorder plagued sports” because of the desire to keep pounds off.

“Fat don’t fly, things like that. That’s not something I’m ever going to let a coach say, but the athletes talk to each other and they see it on TV,” Demong said earlier this season during training in Lake Placid, New York. “Some guys took it too far, back in the day, in my era from 2000 to 2005 is when it was really bad.

"We're talking 6-foot guys that we're like 105 to 110 pounds. Wildly light. Some guys could do it and somebody else would starve themselves the wrong way and they would end up in the hospital."

https://www.newser.com/article/f2c3f587eb00018e20e50b3d01591639/olympic-champion-lundby-laments-ski-jumpings-weight-issues.html

The International Ski Federation has attempted to prod athletes make wise choices when managing their weight.

If jumpers have a body mass index of 21 or more, they can have skis as long as 145% of their height. The more ski surface they have, the farther they fly. But FIS requires jumpers to use shorter skis if their BMI falls below 21, which is considered a relatively healthy number for men and women.

One of the sport’s greats, Finland’s Matti Nykanen, was listed at 5-foot-8 and 120 pounds for the 2010 Olympics; his BMI would be an “underweight” 18.5 with those numbers. Four years later, Sara Takanashi of Japan was all of 5 feet tall and barely 100 pounds but a “healthy” BMI of 19.

https://apnews.com/article/winter-olympics-sports-health-lifestyle-2020-tokyo-olympics-ff567561c7ba0d0792fd38f88ff125b8

[hlthe2b]

1. Yikes. I can honestly say I hadn't given it much thought before.

Starving themselves at this stage of life has lifetime consequences.

[underpants]

2. I hadn't either. They are mostly totally covered so it's not easy to see.

From helmet to one piece body suit they are totally disguised.

Reminds me of wrestlers in high school in sealed rooms, taped up body suits, and starving themselves to make weight.

[Demovictory9]

4. ... and then there are jockeys

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/bha-raises-jockeys-minimum-weights/

Jockeys riding in Britain will receive a general weight increase of two pounds for most races. The change is permanent and replaces the three-pound Covid allowance that was instituted at the start of the pandemic when weighing-room saunas were closed; therefore, the minimum weight will be one-pound less than what it has been throughout the pandemic. Saunas have since been permanently closed.

The minimum weight for flat races has been raised to 8st 2lbs, while the new minimum jump weight is 10st 2lbs. These changes come into effect for flat racing on Mar. 26, and on Apr. 29 for jumps racing. Maximum weights will also increase in line with these changes: the top weight for flat riders will be 10st 2lbs, and 12st for jumps.

[underpants]

6. Interesting thanks.

[DinahMoeHum]

3. Wow, and I thought figure skaters were the only winter athletes. . .

. . .to deal with this issue of eating disorders. Although, (come to think of it) I suspect some freestyle skiers and snowboarders are also dealing with this problem more than other winter athletes, due to the nature of their sports.

BTW, Billy Demong is also an Olympic gold medalist in Nordic combined (ski jumping plus cross country skiing) Vancouver 2010.

As for Matti Nykanen, he struggled with various issues after his competitive days were over, among them 6 marriages and incidents involving alcohol and violent behavior. He died in 2019 at age 55.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matti_Nyk%C3%A4nen

I'm pretty sure he also struggled to maintain weight and developed eating disorders along the way.

[Demovictory9]

5. I read that Wikki.. Nykanen was pretty messed up... and his wife... so much assault

15 attempts at divorce.