Norge Ski Club set to host crowds from across the country at 120th annual ski jump tournament

Scott Smith sat during a ski jumping competition in December in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and couldn’t help but laugh at how things had changed.

As he and other Norge Ski Club members watched the day’s competition, the announcers of the event promoted the upcoming 120th annual Norge Ski Jump Tournament.

When Smith got a chance to talk with the announcers, they told him how much they loved the annual Fox River Grove tournament and they planned on bringing a group over for this year’s event.

“Our ski club is on the map,” Smith said. “Everybody around the country knows of our jump.”

The annual tournament wasn’t always met with the same enthusiasm across the country. Smith, the club’s president and operations manager, remembered a time 20 to 25 years ago when he’d bring up Norge in different parts of the nation and no one knew what he was talking about.

But thanks to dedicated club members and support from the community, the annual jump is as popular as ever heading into its 120th running.

“It makes us work a little extra harder to sure pull off a quality event,” Smith said. “Because there’s some events I’ll go to, and they’re just sliding by to pull off the event. We take pride in making sure the hills are in good shape. Everything’s run well, whether it’s the bar, the concessions, the gate, parking, whatever. So we definitely try to do the best we can.”

“Our ski club is on the map. Everybody around the country knows of our jump.”

—  Scott Smith, Norge Ski Club president and operation's manager

Smith and the rest of the club hope to keep up that tradition during the two-day event Jan. 25 and 26. The club is expecting 80 to 100 jumpers to compete in both days’ activities from different parts of the world, including Norway and Slovenia.

The 120th tournament will look mostly the same as previous events, and club members are hoping for large crowds like they’ve had in the past.

As much as participants have told Smith how much they love the tradition of the tournament, they love the unique atmosphere the large crowds provide.

“We take a lot of pride in our club by being as old as we are and continuing to have events, especially with us being so far south compared to some of these other ski clubs around the country,” Smith said. “We always pull off an event and we’re pretty proud of it.”

The annual event also has a major impact for the club for the rest of the year. The club uses leftover revenue from the tournament to keep the club up to date compared to other clubs.

Norge built a new, more efficient concessions stand a couple years ago and updated the club’s electrical system.

“How we survive is having this event,” Smith said. “Any extra money we do make, we put right back into the facility, because if you don’t, your facility is going to start to deteriorate. I’ve seen that with other clubs.”

Tournament officials expect perfect conditions for the event if the weather forecast holds up. Smith said the cold temperatures over the past couple of weeks have been good for making snow and the forecasted low-30 degree temperatures should make for a great competition atmosphere.

Parking for the event will be free and there will be shuttle buses from the Fox River Grove Metra station and the Stone Hill shopping center. Patrons can buy tickets and buttons ahead of the event at norgeskiclub.org or during each day of the event at the club.

Smith has watched the tournament evolve during his 55 years as part of the club. But the enthusiasm from the community always has been the same, and he’s excited for another historic weekend.

“This time of year, you hear it out on the street,” Smith said. “Everybody’s talking about the ski jump. They know it’s a tradition to come here in January at our event.”