15.01.2016
The beginning of skiing tradition in Ljubno goes back to the time before WWII, while organised ski jumping itself started with the foundation of the ski jumping club SSK Gozdar after WWII. At that time, a group of Ljubno locals was attending international competitions in Planica, where they decided they were going to build a ski jump in Ljubno as well. They contacted the constructor of the giant ski jump in Planica, Stane Bloudek, and signed a contract in 1947 that would result in a 60-metre ski jump, completed in 1953. In the nineties, the ski jump was rebuilt and extended to 80 metres. In 2005, the locals reconstructed the ski jump according to the modern regulations of the FIS, and have been hosting ski jumping competitions for women at the highest level ever since 2006.
Due to growing strictness of the FIS regulations, the ski jump once again had to be reconstructed in order to organise FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Ladies competitions. Two major flaws of the old ski jump proved to be the too steep inrun and the outdated and inappropriate judges’ tower.
The local council of the Ljubno Municipality has in 2015 provided the resources for the construction of a new ski jump. The first two investments were the purchase of the land area around the ski jump and the planning of the new ski jump – the task that was entrusted to the company Atelje-S from Ljubljana. The preliminary plans indeed included a larger ski jump; however, the investment proved to be financially too extensive, with interference in the Rajhovka hillside adding to the environmental issue. What followed was the correction of the ski jump reconstruction, so that the K-point remained at 85 and the HS at 95 metres.
The construction works on the site began in the summer. The Esotech d. d. Company from Velenje and its partners did the excavations and concrete works. The most demanding works turned out to be the deepening and extending of the inrun, which with its 35° slope will provide the jumpers with a sense of safety and a soft transformation to the take-off. There are longitudinal and transverse reinforced concrete beams placed on the landing hill, which make the profile of the ski jump look modern and at the same time provide the basis for future works, when it comes to preparing the ski jump for the summer season. The locksmith works have been done by Gorenjska gradbena družba d. d. Company, a company boasting vast experience from working on modern projects in Planica. They merely upgraded the details in Ljubno. Right next to the ski jump, the local company Rihter d. o. o. has built a new wooden judges’ tower, making the entire centre look fabulous. There are also the members of ski jumping club SSK Ljubno BTC who sacrificed hours and hours of volunteer work, bringing down the old ski jump and maintaining its surroundings. Together we have built a modern ski jump that will make Ljubno and entire Slovenia proud.