The world’s best female ski jumpers took to the frigid Callaghan Valley skies for the season’s second Ladies’ FIS Continental Cup event Wednesday and Thursday (Dec. 17 and 18). And although varied winds cut short the second competition, the athletes gave Whistler Olympic Park’s normal hill top grades as venue organizers prepare for January’s World Cup competitions.

“It was the best hill we’ve ever had in the Continental Cup, I think,” said Germany’s Juliane Seyfarth, who placed fifth in Thursday’s competition.

Norway’s Anette Sagen placed third and second, respectively, in the two competitions. While she was pleased to jump into third position in the overall Continental Cup standings, she was also relieved when ski jumping and Nordic combined manager John Heilig quelled rumours the jumps will be torn down after the 2010 Olympics.

“I really want to come back here for other competitions,” Sagen said. “I have to give credit to the hill organizers. It’s very beautiful to be here and I just wish it was used more often. There’s not too many ski jumpers from Whistler, is there?”

“Not yet,” responded Heilig with a smile.

Tthe Ski Hoppers and Learn to Jump programs will be training eager flyers from around the Sea to Sky corridor starting in February.

Canada’s Nata De Leeuw, 17, took advantage of the home jumps by training for 10 days before the first two Continental Cup competitions in Park City, Utah, the previous week. The Calgary native placed seventh and second in Park City before earning two fourth-place finishes in Callaghan Valley amidst 29 competitors.

“I had some of my best jumps ever during training,” she said. “I love it here. It’s such a good hill and the hill crew always does such a great job with it.”

The women have yet to convince the International Olympic Committee they are ready for the big show, so De Leeuw likely won’t be vying for an Olympic medal next season. Fellow national team member Zoya Lynch even dropped the sport this fall out of frustration. But De Leeuw doesn’t let the absence of an Olympic target keep her down, she said.

“It’s important to perform well all the time, regardless. That whole thing, I don’t let affect me. I just try to jump my best.”

Strong, intermittent gusts caused a number of breaks in the competition and posed mental and physical challenges for the athletes waiting to let loose down the in-run.

“It’s very difficult because you’re sitting there and thinking come on, come on, come on,” said Germany’s Anna Haefele, while pretending to shiver. “And when you have to get up on the bar two times, for the head, to concentrate yourself, it’s not so easy.”

Haefele maintained her composure to place first on Thursday, keeping her at the top of the Continental Cup standings.

However, Thursday’s second jump was cancelled because of the inconsistent winds. Course organizers have instruments to measure wind speed and give each athlete a green light when it settles within a predetermined range, explained Heilig.

“The wind is such a massive factor in the sport that to make it fair, it’s often that we have to hold. I would have preferred less gusty conditions but I’m also pretty happy with how well protected the hill is given that in Squamish right now, I think it’s blowing gale-force winds. To come up here it’s surprisingly nice.”

The Continental Cup was run independently from VANOC but helped venue organizers plan for the upcoming World Cup series, said Heilig, adding that the female ski jumpers are showcasing an excellent level of skill.

“I’m quite impressed by the calibre of women’s jumping and how much it has improved over the last few years. It’s pretty exceptional and a lot of fun to watch.”