Jirí Raška
Encyclopedia
Jiří Raška (ˈjɪr̝iː ˈraʃka; born February 4, 1941 Frenštát pod Radhoštěm
) is the most famous Czech
ski jumper, Olympic winner and Czech skier of the century.
. Raška was however also active in other sports, like football
, cycling
and handball
.
in Innsbruck
as a substitute. There he watched Josef Matouš
, who led after the first round and had an opportunity to become the second Czech Winter Olympic medalist, but ended up without a medal. Four years later, Raška was in a similar situation.
and a second place in the Four Hills Tournament
, he travelled to the 1968 Winter Olympics
in Grenoble
as one of the favourites. Raška himself was hoping to take the fifth place and would not have been disappointed with the tenth place. Czech writer Ota Pavel
described his first jump in the normal hill event: "It was a beautiful flight in the infinite silence, that took short human age. Painter and editor Ota Mašek nearly fainted, photographer Jarda Skála stopped photographing. Coach Remsa was washing his face with snow and squeaking Norwegian Wirkola
stopped squeaking." Raška jumped 79 metres, which was less than Austrian Baldur Preiml
, but thanks to better style he led after the first round. In the second jump he did not fare well, reaching only 72.5 meters, but he went on to victory. Jiří Raška became the first Czech winner in the Winter Olympics. He added the silver medal in the large hill event, beaten only by Vladimir Beloussov
of the Soviet Union
.
That year he managed to win six races in a row. At the 1970 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
in Vysoké Tatry
, over a hundred thousand visitors came to see him jump. He finished second in the large hill event and eighth in the normal hill event.
In 1969 he became a world record holder for only one day. At the new ramp in Planica
he jumped 164 meters, four meters more than was the day old record of his rival Bjørn Wirkola
of Norway
. However, the following day his record was broken by Manfred Wolf
(165 m) from East Germany. Raška's other successes included a silver medal at the World Championships in the large hill in 1970, victory in the Four Hills Tournament
the year after, bronze in the historically first Ski-flying World Championships
, and fifth place in the 1972 Winter Olympics
in Sapporo.
In 1974 he became a coach but continued with active jumping. "I decided to end immediately as the first junior beats me," he said to the Hospodářské noviny
(Czech newspaper) http://www.ihned.cz/2-13715330-004000_d-dc. Thus he ended his competition career in 1976 after being defeated by František Novák.
Frenštát pod Radhoštem
Frenštát pod Radhoštěm is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic.It lies under the Moravian-Silesian Beskids Range, in a region rich in history and therefore the town is an important holiday resort in both summer and winter....
) is the most famous Czech
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
ski jumper, Olympic winner and Czech skier of the century.
Early life
His father died of leukaemia when Jiří Raška was nine years old, leaving his mother to raise four children on her own. His interest in winter sports was not surprising. His cousin and uncle, both active jumpers, took him as their disciple. "We were saying that children in Frenštát are born with skis on their feet," http://lidovky.centrum.cz/asc/clanek.phtml?id=318062 Raška said in the interview for Czech newspaper Lidové novinyLidové noviny
Lidové noviny is a daily newspaper published in the Czech Republic. It is the oldest Czech daily. Its profile is nowadays a national news daily covering political, economic, cultural and scientific affairs, mostly with a centre-right, conservative view...
. Raška was however also active in other sports, like football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
and handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
.
Introduction to ski jumping
As a young jumper he got into coach Zdeněk Remsa's legendary group, the “Remsa Boys”. When military service on Šumava threatened Raška’s budding career, Remsa arranged his entrance into the military sports club Dukla Liberec. In 1964 he travelled to the Winter Olympic GamesWinter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
as a substitute. There he watched Josef Matouš
Josef Matouš
Josef Matouš was a Czechoslovakian ski jumper who competed from 1963 to 1974. He was born in Poděbrady. He finished fourth in the individual normal hill event at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck....
, who led after the first round and had an opportunity to become the second Czech Winter Olympic medalist, but ended up without a medal. Four years later, Raška was in a similar situation.
Career successes
Thanks to the fourth place in the 1966 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships1966 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1966 took place February 17–26, 1966 in Oslo, Norway at the Holmenkollen ski arena. This was the third time the Norwegian capital hosted this event having done so in 1930 and at the 1952 Winter Olympics...
and a second place in the Four Hills Tournament
Four Hills Tournament
The Four Hills Tournament is composed of four Ski Jumping World Cup events and has taken place in Germany and Austria each year since 1952.The Four Hills Tournament champion is the one who gets the most points over the four events...
, he travelled to the 1968 Winter Olympics
1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1968 in Grenoble, France and opened on 6 February. Thirty-seven countries participated...
in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
as one of the favourites. Raška himself was hoping to take the fifth place and would not have been disappointed with the tenth place. Czech writer Ota Pavel
Ota Pavel
Ota Pavel was a Czech writer, journalist and sport reporter...
described his first jump in the normal hill event: "It was a beautiful flight in the infinite silence, that took short human age. Painter and editor Ota Mašek nearly fainted, photographer Jarda Skála stopped photographing. Coach Remsa was washing his face with snow and squeaking Norwegian Wirkola
Bjørn Wirkola
Bjørn Wirkola is former ski jumper and footballer from Norway.He became World Champion in Oslo in 1966, winning both the large and normal hill competitions...
stopped squeaking." Raška jumped 79 metres, which was less than Austrian Baldur Preiml
Baldur Preiml
Baldur Preiml . is a former Austrian ski jumper who competed from 1960 to 1968.His best known finish was a Bronze medal in the Individual Normal Hill at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble.-External links:...
, but thanks to better style he led after the first round. In the second jump he did not fare well, reaching only 72.5 meters, but he went on to victory. Jiří Raška became the first Czech winner in the Winter Olympics. He added the silver medal in the large hill event, beaten only by Vladimir Beloussov
Vladimir Beloussov
Vladimir Pavlovich Belousov is a former Soviet ski jumper who competed during the late 1960s and early 1970s, training at the Armed Forces sports society in Leningrad Oblast...
of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
That year he managed to win six races in a row. At the 1970 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
1970 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1970 took place 14-22 February 1970 in Vysoké Tatry, Czechoslovakia. This was the second time this city hosted the event having done so in 1935. It was the first time an event was televised in colour from Czechoslovakia though broadcasting there remained in...
in Vysoké Tatry
Vysoké Tatry (town)
Vysoké Tatry , informally Mesto Vysoké Tatry , is a town at the feet of the Slovak part of High Tatras in Slovakia including all the major resorts in that region...
, over a hundred thousand visitors came to see him jump. He finished second in the large hill event and eighth in the normal hill event.
In 1969 he became a world record holder for only one day. At the new ramp in Planica
Planica
Planica is an alpine valley in northwestern Slovenia, extending south from the border village of Rateče, not far from another well-known ski resort, Kranjska Gora. Further south, the valley extends into the Tamar Valley, a popular hiking destination in Triglav National Park.Planica is famous for...
he jumped 164 meters, four meters more than was the day old record of his rival Bjørn Wirkola
Bjørn Wirkola
Bjørn Wirkola is former ski jumper and footballer from Norway.He became World Champion in Oslo in 1966, winning both the large and normal hill competitions...
of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. However, the following day his record was broken by Manfred Wolf
Manfred Wolf
Manfred Wolf was an East German ski jumper who competed from 1971 to 1973. He finished fifth in the individual large hill event at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo....
(165 m) from East Germany. Raška's other successes included a silver medal at the World Championships in the large hill in 1970, victory in the Four Hills Tournament
Four Hills Tournament
The Four Hills Tournament is composed of four Ski Jumping World Cup events and has taken place in Germany and Austria each year since 1952.The Four Hills Tournament champion is the one who gets the most points over the four events...
the year after, bronze in the historically first Ski-flying World Championships
Ski-flying World Championships
The FIS Ski Flying World Championships is a competition that is held every two years, with the occasional exception. The Championship takes place in big ski jumping hills, with K-spots over 185 meters. Unlike ordinary ski jumping, the Ski Flying World Champion is determined after four jumps...
, and fifth place in the 1972 Winter Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
in Sapporo.
In 1974 he became a coach but continued with active jumping. "I decided to end immediately as the first junior beats me," he said to the Hospodářské noviny
Hospodarske noviny
Hospodarske noviny is name of two newspapers, written without diacritics:* Hospodářské noviny in the Czech Republic* Hospodárske noviny in Slovakia...
(Czech newspaper) http://www.ihned.cz/2-13715330-004000_d-dc. Thus he ended his competition career in 1976 after being defeated by František Novák.
Coaching career
Between 1994 and 1996 he was together with Medal and later on Malec coach of the Czech representation. During the 1990s he was also a coach of the Czech junior representation and vice-chair of the Czech Ski Union. In the Union’s poll he was elected as a Czech skier of the century.Interesting facts
- For his victory in the Olympics Games he secretly received 10,000 Czechoslovak crowns and a television set. As an Olympic amateur he had to refuse a car ŠkodaŠkoda AutoŠkoda Auto , more commonly known as Škoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 2000, positioned as the entry brand to the group...
1100 MB. For this reason he was using it for a year with the factory number and then bought it with a discount. - Raška signed the 2000 Words Manifesto in 1968.
- Writer Ota PavelOta PavelOta Pavel was a Czech writer, journalist and sport reporter...
wrote Fairytale about Raška. - His grandson Jan MazochJan MazochJan Mazoch is a former Czech ski jumper. He became a regular member of the Czech national team in 2003. Mazoch was a member of the Czech delegation at the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics....
is a member of the Czech ski jumping representation.