There's something magical about watching ski jumpers launch themselves into the winter sky, soaring through the air with grace and power. At the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, that magic reaches a historic new peak as women compete in the Large Hill event for the very first time.

This groundbreaking moment represents years of dedication, advocacy, and unwavering determination from female athletes who refused to accept being sidelined. While men have competed in Olympic ski jumping for over a century, women only gained official entry to the sport in 2014. Now, just twelve years later, they're conquering the sport's most prestigious event—and they're doing it with spectacular style.

Ski jumping combines the thrill of extreme sports with the artistry of figure skating. Athletes must achieve two equally important goals: distance and elegance. The best jumpers stay airborne for an astonishing seven seconds, sometimes covering the length of an entire football field while reaching speeds between 75 and 95 miles per hour. A panel of five judges scores their technical execution and artistic style on a scale of 0 to 20, evaluating everything from their launch power to their landing grace.

The journey to equality in ski jumping has required removing more than just barriers of opportunity. Until recently, women were required to wear special hip pads sewn into their jumping suits, ostensibly to help the suits fit better. However, athletes pointed out that these pads actually hindered their performance by affecting their aerodynamics. In 2020, the International Ski Federation listened and officially removed the requirement, allowing women to compete on truly equal terms.

The results have been spectacular. Slovenia's Nika Prevc, now 20 years old, set a jaw-dropping world record in March 2025 when she jumped 774 feet at the World Cup in Vikersund, Norway. This achievement capped an incredible season where she medaled fifteen times. She enters the Milano Cortina Games as the favorite to win gold, representing not just her country but a generation of female athletes who refused to be grounded.

Prevc's story becomes even more inspiring when you learn that excellence runs in the family. Her brother Peter is a four-time ski jumping medalist, and together they became the first brother-sister pair to win World Cup jumps on the same weekend. Talk about family goals!

The competition promises to be thrilling across the board. Slovenia's Nika Kriznar, who placed third in the Normal Hill event in Beijing, returns to chase gold. Austria's Daniel Tschofenig, just 23, became the first skier born in the 21st century to win the prestigious Four Hills Tournament, proving that the sport's future shines bright on both sides of the competition.

As we tune in to watch these remarkable athletes defy gravity and push boundaries, we're witnessing more than just impressive athletic feats. We're celebrating progress, perseverance, and the simple truth that when you give talented people the opportunity to soar, they'll take your breath away.

The ski jumping events begin February 7, 2026, and this year, history takes flight.