Silver Mine Invitational

Getting outdoors this winter and watching high quality athletic competitions doesn’t have to be an either/or proposition in the Chippewa Valley: Eau Claire has hosted the Silver Mine Invitational, which welcomes top ski jumpers from around the world, for 130 straight winters. Introducing your family to the thrilling sport of ski jumping – which they might otherwise only see every four years on TV during the Winter Olympics – is as easy as a short drive south of the city to the jump at 2900 Silvermine Drive.   

“Ski jumping is one of the oldest extreme sports,” explains Tami Jastrow, who is overseeing registration for this year’s tournament. “It’s also very exciting to watch. It’s very different than most of the sports you go and sit and watch inside in an arena in the winter.” In other words, instead of sitting on bleachers watching a hockey or basketball game, you’ll be braving the same elements as the competitors (although you’ll be able to do it nursing a hot beverage and huddling around a cozy bonfire).

“Ski jumping is ... very different from most sports you go sit and watch inside an arena in the winter.”

During two days of nighttime competition under the lights on Feb. 12-13, skiers will climb rickety wooden stairs to the top of the hill, rocket off the steep jump, and soar overhead, silhouetted against the stars, before alighting on the hard-packed snow. Silver Mine is a 95-meter hill, which means the slope begins to flatten out 95 meters from the end of the jump, making it less safe to land beyond that point. For a sense of proportion, 95 meters is the length of nine school buses or longer than a football field.

In addition to competitors from all over the United States – including members of Eau Claire’s own Flying Eagles Ski Club – Jastrow expects competitors from Austria, Germany, Norway, Finland, Slovenia, and possibly from Japan and South Korea as well. In all, between 65 and 80 jumpers are anticipated.

While the tournament has typically been held in mid-January, it was pushed into February this year for a good (and exciting) reason: For the first time ever, the Silver Mine Invitational will be an International Ski Federation event. Specifically, it will be part of the FIS Ski Jumping Cup – the third-highest level of international ski jumping – which means competitors at Silver Mine can accumulate points toward winning an internationally recognized title. The Silver Mine Invitational is also part of the Five Hills Tour and the U.S. Cup Tour, two other competitive series (the latter of which has been won for two consecutive years by Eau Claire’s own Nick Mattoon).

The Silver Mine Invitational isn’t just about ski jumping, however. It’s a winter festival as well, featuring a heated tent, live music both nights, a beer tent, and two days of disc golf demonstration followed by a disc golf tourney Sunday. This year, the event will also have a few more things to hold the attention of the youngest visitors, Jastrow says, including a kids’ corner in the tent featuring face painting, coloring pages, and a sawdust pile filled with candy. (A pond hockey tourney that accompanied the ski jumping in recent years won’t be held because of a scheduling conflict.)

In short, the Silver Mine Invitational offers Olympic-level competitors and a history that predates the Winter Olympics by decades – plus some good old family fun. When the weather turns cold in the Chippewa Valley, it doesn’t get any cooler than that.

Silver Mine Invitational Ski Jumping Tournament • Friday and Saturday, Feb. 12-13, 2016 • 5pm both days • $10 in advance, $15 at the gate, ages 12 and under free • Silver Mine Ski Hill, 2900 Silvermine Drive, Eau Claire • (715) 831-2345 • www.ec-skiclub.com

Want to try ski jumping?

The Flying Eagles Ski Club is holding a Learn to Ski event on Thursday, Dec. 31. Anyone from age 2 to adult can learn the basics. To set up an appointment, contact Tami at tamij715@gmail.com or call Call Sharon at (715) 214-9077.