BIOGRAPHY:
The masthead of women's ski jumping, Lindsey Van has put the sport on her back for the past decade and a half, becoming it's most popular and outspoken advocate. Oh yeah, did we mention and she can jump? Van became the first ever women's World Champion at 2009 Nordic Worlds in Liberec, Czech Republic and has claimed 15 U.S. titles. She also has collected over 40 Continental Cup podiums, including eight wins over a storied career. The Utah native currently holds the North American distance record with a jump of 171.1m and held the jump record for the K95 hill in Vancouver leading up to the 2010 Olympics (105.5m). But perhaps her most unique accomplishment took place far from the ski jumps. After learning she was a genetic match, Van donated bone marrow to someone suffering from leukemia in San Francisco, something she considers her greatest accomplishment to date. Truly a proven winner both on the hill and off, Van just has one piece left to add to the trophy case: Olympic gold.
LINDSEY SAYS:
My 2011 season was okay. I took last year off, so I was just trying to get back into competition mode. It was great to compete again, and I had six podiums. I look forward to the World Cup season next year and I am looking to win some competitions.
FIRST TRACKS:
Lindsey began ski jumping when she was 7. She started out in a ski racing program, but was always looking for the jumps, so when someone told her they had just built jumps in Park City for the 1998 Olympic bid, she went to watch with her mother and twin brother, and the rest is history.
OFF THE SNOW:
I like to play in the snow. I like to ski, tele ski, backcountry ski, and cross country ski. Basically anything with skis, I love to do. I like photography, cooking, and hanging out with my friends. I attend the University of Utah studying exercise sports science. I work at Alpine Sports Medicine as a physical therapist aide when I am home. I like to go and watch the little kids jumping, and like to help out whenever I can. I am passionate about getting more people to join the registry for bone marrow donation, and getting more people active in the outdoors.
