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OSLO, Norway (Feb. 26, via release) – A little bit of sunshine peeked through an otherwise windy, foggy and challenging day Friday after women ski jumpers took to the Midtstubakken hill at the World Championships in Oslo — ready to prove to the world just how amazing they can be.

International Olympic Committee member Gunilla Lindberg, of Sweden, told reporters after the event that the female jumpers had made “enormous progress” during the past two years.

"I am impressed with what I have seen here today … the fact that they can jump under these conditions, and it's great to feel the atmosphere,” said Lindberg, who came to Oslo to evaluate the women’s ski jumping event for possible inclusion in the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia.

Many people echoed that sentiment Friday, but because it came from Lindberg, the words hung a little heavier. In 2006, when the IOC rejected the inclusion of women's ski jumping into the 2010 Games, Lindberg proclaimed: "It's still not ready.”

Wind on Friday hindered the long distances these elite athletes typically jump and fog caused the 8,000-plus-crowd to watch the outdoor sport on a Jumbotron. But the women did their part to prove how ready they are, said Peter Jerome, father to Visa Team member Jessica Jerome and a long-time women’s ski jumping advocate.

“I am heartened that Ms. Lindberg saw the competition for what it was — an extremely good competition that was held in extremely difficult conditions,” Peter Jerome said. 

Italy’s Elena Runggaldier may have put it best in a news conference after her silver-medal win, “It was an endurance event — having to brave that competition in those conditions.”

International Ski Federation President Gian-Franco Kasper, whose organization has recommended three times that a women’s ski jumping event be added to the Olympic Winter Games, was also positive after Friday’s comp.

“I am 90-percent optimistic that it will be in the Olympics in 2014,” Kasper said, then going on to tout the start of a women’s World Cup tour next season.

In Oslo, 43 athletes from 15 nations competed compared to 36 athletes from 13 nations in 2009. Five of the top six Friday were from different countries and ranged from gold-medalist and 27-year-old Daniela Iraschko, of Austria, to 14-year-old Sarah Takanashi (6th place), of Japan.

Participation also has increased worldwide. In 2006, 83 women from 14 nations were registered to compete on the FIS Continental Cup and in 2010, those numbers increased to 182 women from 18 nations.

“We have more girls competing at a higher level from more countries,” Jessica Jerome said. “New girls are constantly showing up on the top of the result list, and everyone is jumping farther.”

Deedee Corradini, Women’s Ski Jumping USA president, remains hopeful that Friday’s event — as well as the Continental Cup tour — shows the IOC that there is universality in this sport, that more women are competing than years before, and that they are ready for 2014.

“It’s a miracle these girls did as well as they did under horrible conditions,” Corradini said. “They were amazing and we’re thrilled that Gunilla Lindberg saw that too.”

A decision about adding a women’s ski jumping event to the Sochi 2014 Games is expect to be announced late March or April.

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The Visa Women’s Ski Jumping Team is sponsored and organized by Women’s Ski Jumping USA, a 501c3 nonprofit foundation. To learn more, go to www.wsjusa.com.

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