Wind and fairness in ski jumping: A computer modelling analysis.

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Aerodynamics
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Wind significantly impacts ski jumping performance and fairness.
• The International Ski Federation (FIS) uses a wind compensation system to mitigate wind effects.
• Previous models for wind effects in ski jumping have limitations in accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the accuracy of three computer models (M1, M2, M3) in predicting ski jump length under various wind conditions.
• To assess the suitability of model M2 for future applications in ski jumping.
• To identify discrepancies between model predictions and the current FIS wind compensation system.

Main Methods:

• Applied three computer models (M1, M2, M3) with varying accuracy to simulate ski jumping flight phases under diverse wind scenarios.
• Utilized drag and lift area functions from an optimized reference jump for model comparison.
• Assessed model M2's performance against the more complex M3 model and the FIS wind compensation system.

Main Results:

• Model M2 demonstrated comparable accuracy to the highly complex model M3, despite being simpler to implement.
• Model M1 showed inaccuracies when wind direction deviated from the flight path tangent.
• Significant differences were found between M2 predictions and the FIS wind compensation system, particularly regarding tailwind and headwind effects.

Conclusions:

• Model M2 is recommended for future ski jumping wind effect predictions due to its balance of accuracy and simplicity.
• The current FIS wind compensation system may not accurately account for the complex interactions between wind and ski jumping flight.
• Further research is needed to refine wind compensation strategies in ski jumping based on more accurate aerodynamic models.