Alpine skiing-Speed merchants jump for joy as Stelvio gets its bite back

BORMIO, Italy, Feb 5 : The sun beamed down as the skiers soared over Stelvio's jumps on the second day of men's Olympic downhill training on Thursday. 

The San Pietro jump is a distinct feature of the infamously steep Stelvio piste. Bormio’s tourism site boasts of a “spectacular leap of over 40m”. 

During the first downhill training run, skiers said they barely jumped over 20 metres but by the second session the usual air time was restored after organisers added more snow to the course. 

“I’m the first guy who runs the track with real speed and the jump was pretty high,” said Switzerland’s Stefan Rogentin, who was the first man down the course. “Yesterday it was a little bit smoother compared to today.”

Other skiers expressed their satisfaction with the change.

“The jump was nice”, according to Norway’s Adrian Smiseth Sejersted while American Bryce Bennett said the jump was way better after being "super disappointing” the previous day.

Bennett also pointed out an unusual feature on the normally dark and icy slope, which hosts an annual downhill World Cup meet in December. 

“To stand in the start gate of Bormio, with a nice dark mirrored lens on your face and stare around and you see sun is a good feeling, a rare feeling,” the American said. 

He is hoping the conditions will be similar for the blue riband race on Saturday. 

“It's always nice to have a big jump. So I think on race day, it'll go pretty good,” Bennett said.