The 90-meter Harris Hill Ski Jump was re-built in 2008 to International Ski Federation (FIS) specs.  It is the site of 18 national championships over its colorful history, it is a family tradition -- two heart-stopping fun-filled jumping days of music, tailgating, a climb to the takeoff for an up-close look at the jumpers as they fly by, and snow hills for the little kids to play on.

This year, we will also host the U.S. collegiate ski jumping finals and the United States American Ski Jumping finals, in addition to the traditional Pepsi Challenge and Fred Harris Memorial Tournament, which will be celebrating 90 years of ski jumping this year.

 

The competition gets under way at 11 am. Opening ceremonies will be at 12 pm.

Festive atmosphere. Food, Music, Drink, Beer Tent. No grandstands. Some chairs and tables set up outside of the beer tent if the weather is nice. As cars drive into the parking lot you can buy a ticket at the gate and then you are directed where to park. 

 

Vendors
At this time, we have filled all our existing vendor space for the 2012 event. Thank you for your interest.
 

 

The Harris Hill Ski Jump is a great opportunity to see an Olympic-sized ski jumping competition "close to home."  And just like at the actual Winter Olympics dress warm, wear boots and be prepared to be amazed.  We recommend dressing in layers, warm boots, hat, gloves and being prepared for unpredictable Vermont winter weather.

 

Event Dates:

Saturday, February 18

Sunday, February 19

 

 
PARKING

Free Parking at the Hill, or at the Brattleboro Retreat (with shuttle). Parking opens at 10 a.m. both days.

A link to Weather

 

 

Brattleboro, Vermont - Exits 1, 2, 3 off I91,
Event Exit is Exit 2 to Cedar Street and follow signs.


Drive Times & Directions

Brattleboro - The One and Only
Please contact the Brattleboro Chamber of commerce at 802-254-4565 / 877-254-4565 or visit their website for more about Brattleboro.
 

Nestled between the West and Connecticut Rivers, Brattleboro offers visitors an exceptional variety of recreational activities, arts, entertainment, shopping and dining. As Polo Magazine points out, Brattleboro's historic downtown "is crammed with bookstores, galleries, and cafes, and a quaintly lingering counterculture image is more than balanced by some very well-laid tables."

Passengers can still arrive in our town by train, with Amtrak's Vermonter providing regular service. The view from the window has not changed, and is glorious during any season. But whether you arrive by rail or car, our corner of the state offers you everything that you want in a Vermont experience. If you are just thinking of resting here a little while or you are considering a longer stay, we offer anything that a visitor needs.

 

Lodging
 

 

Thank you for your interest in the annual Harris Hill Ski Jump Competition.

For more information about volunteering.

About Ski Jumping and the World Cup
 
A little terminology: Starting at the top of the jump, the skier puts on his/her skis and gets into the start. In the early days, there was just one start, a platform at the top. Later, several platforms were used at different heights as a way to regulate takeoff speed. Current practice is to use bar starts with platforms on the side where the skiers put on their skis. The bar start has a wooden beam or metal pipe spanning the track and supported on both sides of the track. The skier sits down on the bar and slides sideways until he is at the center of the track. The skier gathers speed as he zips down the inrun to the takeoff. The track is one half to one inch deep in hard snow. The Inrun (that part of the jump from the starting point to the jump) has a pitch at the start of about 28 - 36 degrees and gradually gets less the closer you get to the jump. The last 20 or 30 feet is actually hanging about 10 degrees from level. It does not go up at the end. The Takeoff is the very end of the jump where the jumper leaves the ground and soars into the air. The Knoll is that part of the jump from the end of the takeoff to the steep part of the landing hill. The Transition is where the landing hill starts to flatten out and the Outrun is from the end of the transition to the where the skier stops.

 

 The Harris Hill Ski Jumping Competition is a celebrated Brattleboro tradition that dates back to 1922, before it was even an Olympic sport. It was the vision of Fred Harris of Brattleboro who founded the Brattleboro Outing Club and the Dartmouth Outing Club. The two-day ski jumping tournament brings world-class jumpers from around the world to compete. Over the years, Harris Hill has been the site of 18 national and regional championships, with the most recent in 1992 when it hosted the National Championships.

 

Crowds of thousands would come from near and far in their best furs (now replaced with Gore-Tex and down) and regalia to witness the event. Over the years, it has become a tradition with the people of western New England and has continued its reputation for attracting an enthusiastic crowd of spectators.

 

Only an occasional snow drought and World War II have interrupted this annual tradition, until recently when the jump fell into disrepair. After the 2005 event, the organizers of the jump determined a complete overhaul of the hill was necessary.

 

Ski jumping is a sport that truly needs to be seen up close to be appreciated and spectators can do that at Harris Hill.

 

Contact Information