“Wonderful Leaping”

Newspaper article transcribed below.

WONDERFUL LEAPING

TORGAL NOREN LEAPED OVER 73 FEET ON SKIS ON SUNDAY. 

FINE EXHIBITION BY YOUNG EXPERT – BOYS’ JUMP CONCLUDED. 

Torgal Noren is certainly a wonderful ski jumper. On Sunday afternoon he gave an exhibition on Monte Cristo mountain before about 100 spectators who climbed the hill to see the young Norwegian champion demonstrate his prowess. The snow was somewhat heavy, but despite this drawback Noren cleared seventy-three feet eight inches, the biggest leap ever made in Canada. 

Young Noren is a revelation to Rossland ski runners, especially in the style he adopts, and is undoubtedly the greatest ski runner and jumper in Canada today. Olaus Jeldness, himself a champion in Norway a score of years ago, pays the tribute to the new champion that in his palmiest days he was never Noren’s equal. The young chap jumps with a skill and grace that inspires admiration in the spectators. He disdains a pole, and takes advantage of the highest speed attainable. As he approaches the jump he gathers himself together and launches into the air with a strength and grace that makes his long leaps possible. In the course of his long flight through the air Noren is rarely any great height above the ground, but the skill with which he maintains his equilibrium is very marked. In alighting the youthful expert maintains his balance perfectly, and the whole performance is genuinely wonderful. 

In Norway young Noren had already taken nineteen medals for his skill on the skis. When stricken with the fever to emigrate he disposed of the decorations to raise funds, and has now started in to accumulate more medals. He has already secured the magnificent gold medal awarded for the championship ski running and that for jumping as well. 

Noren complained on Sunday that the snow on the course was so heavy as to interfere with long leaping. After the track had been covered a number of times he said he would leap again yesterday and was confident he could improve his record by a number of feet. The snow during the day prevented this, however, the track being worse than on Sunday. Noren will remain in Rossland, having entered the employ of the West Kootenay Power & Light company.