Sixty-five years ago today the world’s best ski jumpers were in East Vancouver launching over Empire Stadium in a uniquely odd event that to this day holds a special place in local sports lore.
The May 3, 1958 Centennial Ski Jumping Invitational featured a precariously tall and narrow tower of scaffolding and ice erected over the north end of the stadium. Looking at archive photos today, it seems a marvel no one died.
“I don’t think there’s a weirder event than this one,” said B.C. Sports Hall of Fame curator Jason Beck.
“The craziest thing is the extent they had to go to to stage it
