“Love is the spirit that motivates the artist’s journey.”
-Eric Maisel
The Berkshires are notorious for stimulating our inner spirits. A region rich with beauty, culture and energy – the tri-state area is charged with passion.
This weekend, the courageous spirit of Saint Valentine will be alive with Salisbury’s love of Jumpfest. Satre Hill has been home to the Eastern National Ski Jump Championships since 1952. Friday night kicks off Jumpfest with Target Jumping under the lights, Human Dogsled Races, and a huge bonfire. Saturday & Sunday will will follow suit with the Official Competition, Ice Carving, the annual Snow Ball, Pancake Breakfast, and jubilant faces chorusing the village of Salisbury.
It is suiting that Jumpfest shares the weekend with Valentine’s Day this year – as we celebrate the Ski Jumps, we also honor a legacy of love that has flourished despite all trials and tribulations.
John Satre immigrated from Norway to Salisbury in 1924, bringing with him 2 brothers and a passion for skiing. The Satre brothers spread their winter sport fervor throughout the community and soon formed the Salisbury Outing Club, the roots of what has become the Salisbury Winter Sports Association.
A crowd of nearly 200 people gathered at Satre Hill to enjoy the Salisbury Outing Club’s first ski jumping competition on January 29, 1927. By 1933, this annual event had gained great attention and was chosen to host the National Ski Jump Championships. Despite an undying love of Satre Hill and its jump, World War II was a challenging era and the jump was not utilized, eventually deteriorating into disrepair.
In 1945 the Salisbury community had regained its strength yet recognized a yearning to repair the Ski Jump void. Salisbury Winter Sports Association was formed and came together to rekindle the excitement of our hometown Ski Jump. Restoration of the Satre Hill Ski Jump was hugely sucessful and in 1952 the location was chosen as the ideal host of the Eastern National Championships.
The Jumps again relied on our community’s devotion again in 2010 when it was time to construct a new jump that would replace the original – bringing the entire facility up to current codes and regulations. Satre Hill was honored once again when this new jump was chosen to host the 2011 USSA Junior Olympics, in addition to its longstanding role as host of the Eastern National Championships.
“Love is a constant devotion, not a passing emotion.”
Satre Hill’s Ski Jumps was founded upon passion, is rooted in desire and has flourished above the tests of time because of sincere devotion. The energy that radiates from Salisbury’s Jumpfest this Valentine’s Weekend will encompass the entire region – join the pulse of a community whose history is built upon a legacy of love.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Happy Jumpfest!
