Lindsey is a 13-time U.S. national ski jumping champion (normal and large hills) and she has more than 50 top-three finishes internationally, including eight wins. She also holds the North American women’s record with a jump of 171 meters. Before the Olympic Games in 2010, she held the hill record for men and women in Vancouver, which was 105.5 meters.
Lindsey Marie Van was born on 27th November 1984. She was born in Detroit, Michigan and has a twin brother named Brandon. Her father Barry was a cargo ship captain and rarely was home in the first couple years of the twins’ lives. Barry and Lindsey’s mother Miranda decided to leave Detroit for a new start – Park City, Utah. They both loved to ski and wanted to share that love of the outdoors with their kids. Soon the twins started skiing on their own and at age 7, Lindsey discovered ski jumping.
Since she was 9, Lindsey has dreamed of being an Olympian. She has been ski jumping for 20 years — that’s about 20,000 jumps. She skis nearly 60 mph down an in-run and hurls herself off the ski jump, going sometimes as far as the length of two football fields.
She is an American ski jumper who has competed since 2002. Van won a gold medal in the inaugural women’s ski jumping event at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec and has a total of eight Continental Cup victories in her career.
In 2008, Van’s knee cartilage was crushed on the landing of a practice jump; she underwent knee surgery and five months of intense rehab. She returned to competition after six months but injured her knee again. Van has experienced four knee surgeries and a ruptured spleen.
Going into the Vancouver 2010 Games, Van held the K95 hill record of 105.5 meters at the site of the 2010 Olympic ski jumping events. In 2011, it was announced that women’s ski jumping on the normal hill would be included in the 2014 Winter Olympics. Van said, “I was kind of numb when I heard. People expected me to be ecstatic, but I’d been after this for so long, it just didn’t sink in at first.”
In July 2011, nerve tissues in one of her legs became a problem. On the appeal of her sport, Van has said, “You are up the in the air and for a minute it’s as if you can fly. It’s a feeling like nothing else I’ve ever felt, and as soon as I land, I just want to go back up to the top and do it again.”
In 2009, American Lindsey Van, of Park City, UT, became the first World Champion in women’s ski jumping after winning the first World Championships to allow women to compete. She’s the only American (male or female) to win a Gold at a World Ski Jumping Championships. Lindsey became the instant face and spokeswoman for the fight to get women’s ski jumping added to the Olympic Winter Games program.
She and her Women’s Ski Jumping USA teammate, Jessica Jerome, courageously were the first to sign on to a gender discrimination lawsuit against the Vancouver Organizing Committee in 2008. They risked alienation and retribution from the International Ski Federation and the International Olympic Committee. They soon were joined by 13 additional ski jumpers from around the world.
Lindsey has had her fair share of injuries. She’s endured back-to-back summer surgeries on her ankle (last year) and knee (this year). Last year she finished 5th in the world despite having mono for half the season. Keeping her body healthy is her No. 1 priority heading toward Sochi.
But what she’s most proud of so far in her life is her decision to become a bone marrow donor. In 2011, she learned she was a bone marrow match for a man suffering from Leukemia. She was able to donate twice that year and later learned that the man’s cancer was in remission. She hopes to be able to meet her recipient one day soon.
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Lindsey Van is a gold medalist at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009, eight times Continental Cup winner, 13-time U.S. national ski jumping champion (normal and large hills) and more than 50 top-three finishes internationally. She is in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitness
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You must have started ski jumping at a young age as you reached the pinnacle of success in 2009 by winning the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Liberec. What factors you consider were responsible that made you achieve that?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
I started ski jumping at the age of 7. I think the important factors leading to the World Championships in 2009 were year round training for 14 years, mental toughness, and experience. That competition it was snowing and very windy, so the conditions were not ideal. In those type of competitions mental focus is extremely important.
You have to be able to focus on the jump itself, and not let the outside influences distract you such as weather, and the pressure of the competition. I had been practicing meditation and imagery.
Lindsey Van on Women Fitness:
Thanks for letting me tell you about my sport and myself
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
In 2008, your knee cartilage was crushed on the landing of a practice jump, you underwent knee surgery and five months of intense rehabilitation. You returned to competition after six months but injured your knee again. You have experienced four knee surgeries and a ruptured spleen. How you were able to overcome such a physical injury/setback and what advice you can give to fellow sports person in a similar situation?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
Injuries are part of being an elite athlete, and its something we all have to deal with. 2 months ago I had my 7th surgery to repair my ACL, meniscus, and some cartilage. For me it is very important to be mentally strong. Its very frustrating at times, and takes a lot of patience. I stay active as much as I can, and try to exercise the parts of my body that are still healthy. You have to focus on the end goal, and take it day by day.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
I do most of my training in the summer and fall, because we travel during the winter to compete. I got to the gym 3 times a week to do either strength or power, and core. I am on the hill ski jumping 3-4 times a week. I do about 4 cardio session a week, usually mountain biking or hiking. I do yoga every day to loosen up and recover.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
As an athlete I have to eat healthy to maximize my training, and stay healthy. Eating healthy makes me feel much better, and while traveling keeps me from getting sick. As I have gotten older I have noticed that nutrition is more important so the better I eat the better I feel.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hairs. Do you take some kind of skin treatment to keep it young and glowing and secondly what you do to your hairs to make them look so stunning?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
I’m a pretty simple female. I don’t do anything special, just wash my face, wear sun screen, and wash my hair. I think being healthy on the inside shows on the outside.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding professional ski jumping girls who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in field of ski jumping ?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
My advice would be simple. Have fun and follow your heart. Do the sport for you, and commit yourself.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
How did you feel before and after winning gold at FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
Winning the World Championships was an incredible experience. I didnt expect to win, and just focused on doing my jump. I was able to have a great competition, and I was surprised to win. I was proud of myself, and very excited for our sport.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What efforts you did to seek women’s ski jumping included into the 2014 Winter Olympic Games and how you felt on it being included as an Olympic sport?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
I am thrilled that Women’s Ski Jumping was finally added to the 2014 Olympics. I have been ski jumping for 22 years, and this was the first time we could be included in the Olympics. We worked really hard pushing the sport forward for years. we were told so many times, and we kept at the sport, and refused to give up. Its great for our sport, and women that our sport is in the Olympics.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Tell us about your endeavor about the documentary film on women’s ski jumping “Ready to Fly” ?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
Ready to Fly is a documentary movie about my teammates and I, and our fight to get Women’s Ski Jumping into the Olympics. It follows us from 2010 until our sport was accepted into the Olympics. It is available on Itunes, and Netflix.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Who has been your greatest influencer and motivator in your success in the field of your career in competitive ski jumping ?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
I can’t say it was one person who motivated me. I was very lucky to have great coaches, and family and friends. My parents always supported me, and encouraged me. Teammates and my competitors also kept me motivated.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?
Ms. Lindsey Van:
Thanks for letting me tell you about my sport and myself.
To know more about Lindsey Van: Check out at: http://lindseyvan.com
Women Fitness Team thanks Lindsey Van for giving her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and made this interview happen.
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All content on this site is copyright of Women Finess and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.