Records tumble as Canadian takes title

IN a spectacular display of skill yesterday, Canadian Jaret Llewellyn not only retained his Paddy Ski Jump Classic title at Golden Falls, Co Wicklow, but added a world title and set three records following his winning 217 feet (66.3 metres) jump.

With an opening jump of 61.6 metres in the best of three final round, Llewellyn reached his best distance on his second attempt which gave him the three-way hat-trick of new course, country and European records.

Earlier in the day, Australian Emma Sheers set a new women's world record with a jump of 48.6 metres, narrowly beating fellow country-woman Toni Neville into second place by just 0.4 metres.

Llewellyn won the Cafe de Colombia World Cup as a result of the weekend's event, the final in the six-event series although Sheers' aggregate distances weren't sufficient to oust Neville from the overall women's title position.

Golden Falls also witnessed a world first at the weekend a total of 18 jumps exceeded the elusive 200 foot distance mark as ideal conditions of flat water and a gentle head wind added further lift to the skiers that were airborne at speeds of 70 miles per hour.

Before the world finals took place yesterday, Cork skier Barry Galvin emerged clear victor in the Irish division by a margin of over eight metres from second placed Donal Connolly. Galvin's brother David took third place with a distance of 43.6 metres.

Meanwhile, there was drama in the final jump-off series when Frenchman Patrick Gaveau lost control of his jump in mid-air and landed upside down at high speed before tumbling several times.

After being brought ashore in considerable pain by the rescue craft, he made a full recovery following medical treatment.