Women’s Ski Flying at the 2028 World Championships in Planica: A Historic Milestone
Planica to Host the 2028 Ski Flying World Championships
As expected, Planica (SLO) was awarded the 2028 Ski Flying World Championships at the FIS Congress last week. This prestigious event occurs biennially, with the most recent edition held in Bad Mitterndorf/Kulm, Austria, last winter, and Oberstdorf, Germany, slated to host the 2026 championships.
A Potential Premiere for Women in Ski Flying
Until now, the Ski Flying World Championships have been an exclusively male domain. However, a groundbreaking development could occur in 2028, as women may compete for the first time. Planica is preparing to be ready for this historic inclusion, with the final decision expected by spring 2027.
The Evolution of Women’s Ski Jumping
Sandro Pertile, the FIS Race Director, emphasized the importance of upcoming winters for the potential participation of women in the World Championships. He stated, “Women’s ski jumping has taken big and important steps recently. The first FIS flying in Vikersund in 2023 and the first historic World Cup ski flying competition in Vikersund in 2024 are important milestones in the history of women’s ski jumping. We can see a constant development of the discipline among women.”
Bridging the Performance Gap
Despite the progress, Pertile acknowledged a gap in performance and competitive depth between men and women. “Closing this gap is the first priority in the short to medium term. Strengthening women’s ski jumping as a whole is the necessary step to drive forward the development of ski flying competitions,” he added.
Challenges and Preparations
Women’s ski flying, compared to men’s, is still a nascent sport. Given that ski flying is an elite competition associated with significant risk, the facility in Planica is particularly demanding. Pertile highlighted the importance of evaluating the development and trends in women’s ski jumping and ski flying continuously in the coming years. “We will keep an open mind in order to achieve the highest possible goal,” he said.
Combined Efforts to Elevate Women’s Ski Flying
The FIS decision to integrate men’s and women’s ski jumping in upcoming seasons is seen as a progressive move towards elevating female athletes to higher levels. Pertile concluded, “The recent FIS decision to combine men’s and women’s ski jumping in the next two to three seasons with a progressive approach is exactly in the same direction to strengthen the female athletes towards higher goals.”
With these developments, the 2028 Ski Flying World Championships in Planica could mark a historic moment for women in the sport, potentially ushering in a new era of inclusivity and competition at the highest levels of ski flying.
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