Ski-Jumping Pairs

With the Winter Olympics in full swing, it might be a good time to reflect on a little-known, unique event in Olympic history; the only time that the demonstration sport chosen by the host nation was dismissed out of hand by the IOC.

This happened at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan when the Japanese Olympic Committee tried to introduce the world to Ski Jumping Pairs. The IOC cited a lack of true international participation, extreme danger to life and limb as well as the two-dimensional nature of the sport as reasons for it's exclusion, but make up your own minds.

Here are some stills that a contact of mine connected to the original bid presentation sent me showing some of the higher-scoring moves.