Bloudkova velikanka

Stanko Bloudek

In 1932, Joso Gorec asked constructor Stanko Bloudek to construct a large hill, so he drew plans for the K80 hill, which was the largest size allowed by the International Ski Federation at the time.[6] Bloudek found a suitable location and did a geodetic survey, started the construction, but soon ran out of money. Ivan Rožman, the owner of a construction company, immediately stepped in and drew plans for the K90 hill. Gorec decided to rather build a larger hill using Rožman's plans instead of Bloudek's plans, who was then left out.[7]

In 1933, construction began and was completed in only two months, from October to December. Problems arose before construction started as local farmers from the Rateče area did not want to sell the land, but they eventually changed their minds and sold it.

On 4 February 1934,[8] Bloudkova velikanka, constructed by Ivan Rožman, was officially opened with the Kingdom of Yugoslavia National Championships in front of 2,500 people. Franc Palme won the competition with 55 and 60 m (180 and 197 ft) and set the first two hill records and the national record at the same time.[3]

On 25 March 1934, the first international competition was organised where Birger Ruud won the event in front of 4,000 people and also set the first world record in Planica with 92 metres (302 ft).[9][10] There were also three invalid world record distances with touches or crashes: Birger Ruud at 87 metres (285 ft), Gregor Höll at 89 metres (292 ft), and Sigmund Ruud at 95 metres (312 ft).[11]

Bloudek returned to Planica and took control over the hill as a constructor/developer until his death in 1959.[3] He constructed a new and larger K106 hill. The same year Rožman stepped out as an engineer in Planica.[3] They argued over who was the original constructor and why the hill was not named after him. Rožman blamed Joso Gorec, who named the hill after his friend Bloudek, although Rožman was the original constructor. For years, there was a public misconception that Bloudek was the original hill constructor. Years later, the hill was renamed to Bloudek-Rožmanova velikanka.

On 17 March 1935 there was an international competition with over 12,000 visitors. During the competition, one world record was set by Stanisław Marusarz (95 metres) and three by Reidar Andersen (93, 98 and 99 metres).[12][13][14]

On 15 March 1936, Josef Bradl became the first man in history to have officially jumped over 100 metres, landing at 101.5 metres (333 ft). The distance had to be displayed as 101 metres on the scoreboard due to lack of space.[7][15][16] Two years later, Josef Bradl won the Ski Flying Study competition with another world record at 107 metres (351 ft) with minor hill improvements.[17][18]

On 2 March 1941, the last Ski Flying Study competition before the World War II outbreak in Yugoslavia was held, with 15,000 spectators in attendance.

After two scheduled rounds and Rudi Gering's world record distance at 108 metres (354 ft), the organizers wished to end the event due to safety concerns, but it continued on Germany's request. The fourth and final round had a series of long jumps: Heinz Palme reached 109 metres (358 ft), but a ground touch invalidated his world record distance. Then Gering set the world record at 118 metres (387 ft), winning the official afternoon competition. Right after him the rest jumped in that order: Hans Lahr (111 metres), Paul Krauß (112 m), and Franz Mair (109 m with fall).[19][20][21]

Old hill in 1963

On 24 March 1947, the first post-war competition was held. The winner of the Ski Flying Week was Rudi Finžgar, who also set a new national record of 102 metres (335 ft) during training.[22][23]

Between 14 and 17 March 1948, there was a four-day international ski flying week competition in front of a total 20,000 spectators. Fritz Tschannen won the competition, and also set the last world record on the hill at 120 metres (390 ft). There were also two world record distance crashes by Janez Polda (120 metres) and Charles Blum (121 metres).[24][25]

In 1954, the hill was renovated as a new concrete judge tower was built.[3] In addition, the hill was expanded, received a new profile, and was reopened and back in use for the Planica's Ski Flying week in March 1954.[3]

In 1980, Bloudkova velikanka hosted the first FIS Ski Jumping World Cup event. The hill became a standard and regular host of World Cup events until 1998. Since 1998, all Planica events were held on the ski flying hill (Letalnica bratov Gorišek).

Reconstructed hill in 2014

The hill was in use until 16 December 2001, when the upper part of the concrete foundation collapsed during a snowmaking.[3][26] In the same year, the last international competition on the old hill was held. For many years after the collapse of the hill, there were plans to rebuild it.[27] A decade later, in July 2011, they demolished the inrun, the judge tower and the television tower,[3] but left the "German tower" which is part of the Slovenian culture heritage.[28] The last construction point of the old hill was at K130 and the last hill size at HS140.

In July 2011, the Slovenian government and the Planica Nordic Centre signed a contract for the complete renovation of the hill, worth €6.2 million.[29] At the same location where the original large hill was standing, which is also part of the Slovenian culture heritage, they rebuilt the hill at the hill size of 139 metres with a new profile, inrun, and judge and television towers.[30] Right next to the large hill they built a new normal hill with the hill size of 104 metres. Both hills were designed by Slovenian architects Matej Blenkuš, Miloš Florijančič and Klemen Kobal.[30] The hills were opened on 14 October 2012 with the national championships.[31]

The first person who jumped on the new HS139 hill was Aleš Hlebanja.[31] He received this honour because his grandmother was the first to sell a private property around the hill.[32] Primož Peterka was honoured with an inaugural jump on the new HS104 hill.[31] In 2014, Bloudkova velikanka hosted the World Cup event for the first time since 1998, because the main ski flying hill was closed at the time due to major renovations.[33]