USA Masters Ski Jumping National Championships

USA Masters Ski Jumping National Championships
January 24, 2004
Blackhawk Ski Club, Madison WI

Old Boys from far away as Wyoming and New York gathered in southern Wisconsin on Saturday, Jan. 24 for the 2004 Masters Age Group Championships hosted by the Blackhawk Ski Club at their ski area, west of Middleton. Masters competed in rotation with junior and senior jumpers, first on the newly renovated K-58 hill (below, foreground), then on the 28 and 14 meter jumps. Hard working Blackhawk members made snow and prepared three very nice jumping hills. A chilly breeze from the north-east came up the landing hills, giving skiers a little something extra to fly on.

Karla, Carol and Bob Keck

Some of the possible close competitions on the big hill evaporated as several strong competitors failed to shoulder their skis. Bryan Sanders fell in morning practice and withdrew, leaving first year Master Kip Kopelke to dominate Class I (ages 30-39). Scott Smith, coaching full time for the Norge Ski Club, opted not to compete, so Rick Anderson easily won Class II (ages 30-39). Tom Ricchio was unopposed in Class III due to confusion on the part of the two Wyoming jumpers as to which was the 58 meter hill.
Masters competitors chose their own souvenir bib numbers so Bob Keck and Don West wore their ages on their chests (65 and 66) as they continued their 50 year rivalry.
On the smaller hill, Stig Hallingbye of Laramie, Wyoming fell on his final ride, giving Tim Denisson of Cheyenne, Wyoming a slender victory.
New for 2004, a class for Pre-Masters aged 25-29 brought out the first woman master competitor, Karla Keck, a past world champion and daughter of M-IV competitor Bob Keck.

Tom, Sig and Tim Saturday evening, the Masters group gathered in a downstairs room at Rookie's Sports Bar for food and drink, talk and fellowship. The highlight of the evening was the induction of Sig Malvik into the Master Ski Jumpers Hall of Fame. The picture at the left shows Sig flanked by Tom Ricchio (left) who introduced Sig, and Tim Denisson who presented the plaque. The audience included eleven proud members of Sig's family.

58 Meter Event

Master-IV (ages 60-69)


  Athlete Name    Bib   Ski Club - Town
        Dist. Dist   ....Judges Points.....  Jump  Final
        (M.) Points  J1   J2   J3   J4   J5  Total Total
 -------------------------------------------------------
1 Bob Keck       65   Oconomowoc WI
        40.0   9.6  13.5 15.5 14.0 13.5 12.5  50.6
        43.5  19.4  13.5 14.5 15.0 13.5 13.5  60.9 111.5

2 Don West        66   NYSEF - Lake Placid
        31.0 -15.6  14.0 14.5 15.0 14.0 14.5  27.4
        32.0 -12.8  13.5 14.5 15.0 14.0 13.5  29.2  56.6



Master-III (ages 50-59)

1 Tom Ricchio    142   Iola Winter Sports Club
        44.5  22.2  14.0 15.5 16.0 14.5 14.5  66.7
        44.0  20.8  14.5 15.5 15.5 14.5 14.0  65.3 132.0



Master-II (ages 40-49)

1 Rick Anderson   50   Itasca Ski Club - Coleraine, MN
        45.0  23.6  15.0 16.0 15.5 16.0 15.5  70.6
        44.5  22.2  13.5 15.5 15.5 15.5 15.0  68.2 138.8

2 Joe Berens      23   Minneapolis Ski Club
        34.0  -7.2  13.5 14.0 14.0 14.0 13.5  34.3
        34.0  -7.2  14.5 13.0 14.0 13.5 13.5  33.8  68.1

3 Bill Rattunde   11   Blackhawk Ski Club, Madison
        31.0 -15.6  13.0 14.5 13.0 14.0 13.0  24.4
        30.0 -18.4  13.5 14.0 12.5 13.5 13.0  21.6  46.0


Master-I (ages 30-39)

1 Kip Kopelke      9   Blackhawk Ski Club - Madison
        55.5  53.0  17.0 17.0 17.0 17.0 16.5 104.0
        50.5  39.0  16.5 16.5 16.0 16.5 14.0  88.0 192.0

2 Patrick Kruegel  5   Minneapolis Ski Club
        39.5   8.2  12.5 14.5 13.5 13.5 13.0  48.2
        41.5  13.8  13.0 14.0 13.5 14.5 14.0  55.3 103.5


Pre-master (ages 25-29)

 1 Karla Keck     26   Oconomowoc, WI
        53.0  46.0  16.0 17.0 17.0 16.5 17.5  96.5
        56.5  55.8  17.5 17.0 16.5 16.5 16.0 105.8 202.3

USA Masters Ski Jumping National Championships
29 Meter Event

Master-IV (ages 60-69)


  Athlete Name    Bib   Ski Club - Town
        Dist. Dist    Judges Points   Jump  Final
        (M.) Points   J1   J2   J3   Total  Total
 ------------------------------------------------
 1 Don West       66   NYSEF - Lake Placid
        22.0  29.2   15.5 14.5 15.0   74.2
        21.5  27.0   14.5 14.5 14.5   70.5  144.7



Master-III (ages 50-59)


1 Tim Denisson    13   Wyoming Wing Nuts
        24.0  38.0   16.0 15.0 14.5   83.5
        25.0  42.4   15.5 15.0 15.5   88.4  171.9

2 Stig Hallingbye 54   Wyoming Wing Nuts
        27.0  51.2   14.5 16.0 11.5   93.2
        26.5  49.0    9.0  8.0  9.0   75.0  168.2

3 Denny Matson    22   Iola Winter Sports Club
        24.0  38.0   14.5 15.0 14.0   81.5
        24.5  40.2   15.0 14.5 13.0   82.7  164.2


Master-II (ages 40-49)


1 Gary Silbaugh   51   Blackhawk Ski Club - Madison
        20.0  20.4   13.5 13.0 14.0   60.9
        20.0  20.4   14.0 14.0 13.5   61.9  122.8




Master-I (ages 30-39)


1 Darcy Oligney   69   Iola Winter Sports Club
        23.5  35.8    7.5 13.5 12.5   69.3
        25.5  44.6   14.5 14.0 13.5   86.6  155.9

14 Meter Event

Master-II (ages 40-49)

1 Jim Mylander    43   St. Paul Ski Club
         6.5  18.0   12.5 13.0 14.0   57.5
         9.5  34.8   12.5 13.5 14.0   74.8  132.3

MASTERS SKI JUMPERS IN MADISON (L-R): (kneeling) SCOTT SMITH, JIM MYLANDER, PATRICK KRUEGEL, DARCY OLIGNEY, BART LOCKHART, (standing) TOM RICCHIO, TIM DENISSON, JACK GASCIENICA, SCOTT IMMENS, JOE BERENS, DON WEST , BOB KECK, DAVE ENGSTROM, RICK ANDERSON, STIG HALLINGBYE, DOUG MAKI, DALE SEVERSON, DENNY MATSON. (missing: SIG MALVIK, KIP KOPELKE, BRYAN SANDERS, GARY SILBAUGH, BILL RATTUNDE)