Taisto Tolvanen (1947-2010) One of our IMC friends has left us. We have received the sad news of the death on Tuesday, November 12 of Taisto Tolvanen of Finland. Taisto was a regular on the podium at IMC from 1995 in Zakopane to 2008 in Taivalkoski, taking a total of 13 IMC medals and making many friends along the way. Taisto struggled with health problems for the last two years, including cancer which spread to his lungs and caused his death. The funeral is planned for December 4. Taisto's daughter, Sanna Paajanen, ended her note with the words "... life has to go on. Fortunately dad had a chance to see his little [4 month old] granddaughter before left to heaven's ski jumping hills." You can contact Sanna Paajanen now at Taisto's e-mail address. (This e-mail address should be valid for a while.) Letters or cards to Taisto's wife, Riitta Tolvanen, or to his daughter, Sanna Paajanen, may be addressed to Vehkaraitti 6 50170 Mikkeli   FINLAND

 

-- Report -- Harrachov Site Visit by Errki and Åke (received from Erkki Ahtiainen on October 25, 2010) Hello everybody ! We did a nice trip to Harrachov with Åke Saloniemi last week. We had a good meeting with the organizers, and we also checked the hills and cross country tracks. Everything seems to be in order. People there have a very good attitude to do us a nice happening in March. Something about the hills: K90 is totally in same condition than it was in 2002, it is old but it has a good profile. K70 will be very interesting. They have taken away the old tower and the inrun is totally in the ground. Inrun is 85 meter long, and 25 degrees !!! So maybe we had to put some coffee bar in the middle of the inrun, that we are not going to sleep before take off ; -)). Seriosly it will be interesting -- it´s like the old Bishoshofen jump. But they also said that you can land safely even at 30 meters, so I feel that it will be guite easy to come down, but maybe a little challenging to jump long. In K40 they are making a new profile into the inrun. All inruns of course have track making machines. And they have now much better capacity to make snow in all hills. The lift is same old, and its not very nice, but I think we will manage with it. Cross country tracks will be in a stadium which is just between of our hills and ski flying hills. They are making for us 1 and 2 km tracks. So all places are really near each other, and also the hotels are just 300-500 meters away from the hills. That means that we don´t need car`s for moving from hotel to hills etc. Organisation promise that they will open the official web side before end of November, and there will be also the invitation. They are going to be busy with 2 World Cup competitions and one Continental Cup competition in December and start of January, so they hope that we masters are not going to "bomb" them very much with our questons before 15.1.2011. If teams have some questons, please contact me or Åke. I think this is all at this time. I wish you all very nice waiting for snow and winter. Erkki Ahtiainen Vice President IMC 2010 Summer Grand Prix Results Villach AUT, 23-26 September 2010 We have received and posted results from the Masters Summer Grand Prix in Villach, Austria. The lists show that 56 jumpers from seven nations participated: 29 on the 30 meter jump, 43 on the 60 m, and 17 in Nordic combined. We see many familiar names and a welcome sprinkling of new participants. (We hope that someone will submit a brief article describing the event.)             See the results now: 30 meter jump   (a 532 kb .pdf file) 60 meter jump   (a 536 kb .pdf file) Nordic Combined   (a 140 kb .pdf file) Czech Team Trainer Pavel Mikeska has shared a large collection of flight photos from Villach, and our friend Manuela Steinke has posted the 60 meter picture on her web site. Thank you, Pavel and Manuela.   [ See the pictures now.] James Lambert on month-long break Winterhalder and Weller will fill in during October IMC Committee President James Lambert has imformed us that he will take a one month leave from ski jumping and from IMC duties during October 2010, and that Alex Winterhalder and Jason Weller have agreed to assume his administrative duties during that time. Here is James's full message, dated September 28: Hello Members of the Board and Team Captains, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for coming to Villach, it was a pleasure to meet up and talk to you all, and I look forward to meeting up with you all again in Harrachov. As you are aware the organising and scheduling of an event of this scale is exciting, but can be quite tiring, leaving little time with your loved one´s, and little time to train especially during the competition week. I have had the wonderful position of President for almost 2 years, and I have enjoyed every moment, but I have certain targets I would still like to reach with my ski jumping, and also it is only fair to spend some important time with my family & friends, these are the people who have not only supported me throughout, but have also gone without so that I could give 100% to ski jumping and the IMC, and so I have decided for this reason to take a 4 week break from ski jumping and to sit back and rethink my position as President of IMC. For the duration of my absence any questions or queries can be passed onto other members of the board and/or my Team Colleagues Alex Winterhalder (alex.winterhalder@googlemail.com) & Jason Weller ( british_imc_team@yahoo.co.uk) , who have both declared their willingness together to make sure I have a ski jumping free space to recharge my batteries. I thank you all for the support you have given me since I became President of the IMC, and for giving me this time to rest Best Regards James Lambert We wish James a restful and productive break, and look forward to seeing him again,refreshed and energetic, in Harrachov. Summer Jump and NC in Köszeg, Hungary Our friend Laszlo Molnar has written from Hungary, announcing an age-group competition for children and Old Boys (Masters) in Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined on October 16 & 17 in Köszeg, Hungary. Here is Laszlo's message in German: Sehr geehrte Sportsfreunde und Mannschaftsführer! Ich möchte Sie noch einmal auf unsere Wettkampf (Skispringen, Skiroller) in Köszeg aufmerksam machen, die Auschreibung steht im Anhang. Die Vormeldeschluss ist bis 17. 09. 2010. , und es ist wichtig wegen Unterkunftmöglichkeiten. Ich bitte Sie, wenn Sie den Teilnehmen planen, dann schreiben Sie uns die Folgenden: ca. Personenzahl, Tag der Anreise und der Abreise , und was für Zimmer Sie brauchen. Es ist wichtig! Für jede Skisprung Mannschaft bieten wir für 8+1 Personen Unterkunft gratis (am Freitag, 15.10.2010.) mit Frühstück und Mittagessen ( am Sammstag). Teilnehmergebühr ist auch GRATIS! Andere Kosten können wir nicht übernehmen. Wir warten herzlich ihren Antwort! Molnár László skijumplaszlo@t-online.hu 00-36-9571-506 With his e-mail, Molnar attached seven .pdf documents, of which we have posted one, the invitation in English. [ See it now.] For more information, contact Laszlo Molnar by email or phone at the address or number listed above. Summer Grand Prix Information Come to Villach 23-26 September 2010 Big Hill Jumping on Kranj 108 m During SGP On August 5, James Lambert wrote: We have quite a few athletes who want to jump the 108m in Kranj SLO on Wednesday before the competition. please ask your athletes if they would like to join the competition and let me know soon as possible. We need to make sure we have enough competitors for a competition. I have copied some potential competitors in this email. I must also check with Villach hosts for 2010 to make sure this competition is not in anyway conflicting with Villach event.... so please note that the competition in Kranj remains tentative. ( not yet official ) !!! kind regards, James Lambert IMC President We have posted four files received on July 27 from Gottfried Müller in Villach: Invitation and schedule, a 666 kb Word .doc Invitation and schedule, a 93 kb .pdf file ** Entry form for individuals (120 kb .doc) Entry form for national teams (114 kb .doc) ** I cannot open & view the .pdf on my Adobe Reader, and my system objects to the Macros in the .doc files. (DCW) Accommodations (rooms) can be reserved by Mister Smoliner Franz (Chief of the Villacher Alpenarena) for the IMC- Summer Grand Prix in Villach. E-Mail: office@villacheralpenarena.at [ Send e-mail now.] June 11, 2010 Hi Team Captains We have posted the Official invitation for IMC SGP for 2010 to be hosted in Villach Austria. As we all agreed in the yearly meeting in Bled. All information is sent to Team Captains.... So, please read the invitation carefully and pass important information such as ( insurance, participation criterea ) down to your teams. I would like to thank the Hosts at Villach for the invite and we are looking forward to yet another great summer event. best wishes Beigefügt ist die offizielle Einladung für die IMC SGP für das Jahr 2010 in Villach Österreich. Alle Informationen nur zu die nationale Team Captains geschickt .... Also, bitte die Einladung durch lesen und das wichtige Informationen wie (Versicherung, Beteiligung reglung unsw..) weiter geben an Ihrer Teams. Ich mochte die Gastgeber in Villach Herzlich bedanken für die Einladung.Wir freuen uns auf ein weiteres großes Ereignis im Sommer. Vedlagt er den offisielle invitasjonen til IMC SGP for året 2010 i Villach, Østerrike. All informasjon sendes bare til landslaget kapteinen .... Så, les gjennom invitasjonen og gi alle viktig informasjon videre til ditt lag, for eksempel (forsikring, deltakelse reglern ..) Jeg takker vertskape i Villach for Einladung.Wir ser frem til en annen stor og hyggelig begivenhet i sommer. (Russian version removed here -- sorry. DCW) best wishes James Lambert, IMC President 2011 IMC to Harrachov, CZE It is now official !! The IMC world Championships for 2011, will be held in Harrachov,Czechia. The dates will be 7th to 13th March 2011. As promised, we tried to adjust the dates to push them into February. However, this was simply not possible. The dates for Villach 2010 Summer GP, will soon be made available too. Nun ist es offiziell! Die IMC-Weltmeisterschaft für 2011 wird in Harrachov, Tschechien statt.Die Daten werden zwischen 7 und 13. März 2011. Wie versprochen, haben wir versucht, die Daten anzupassen, um sie in den Februar hinein schieben. Dies war jedoch nicht möglich. Die Termine für Villach wird in Kürze zu Verfügung gestellt werden. Det er nå offisielt! The IMC VM i 2011, vil bli holdt i Harrachov, Tsjekkia. Datoene blir 7 til 13 mars 2011. Som lovet, forsøkte vi å justere for å presse dem inn i februar. Men dette var rett og slett ikke mulig. Datoene for Villach blir snart gjort tilgjengelig også. (Our system was not able to deal with James's Russian translation. Sorry. DW) Best regards, James Lambert IMC President